MARTA  OF  THE 
LOWLANDS 


ANGEL  GUIMERA 


UCSB  URRAPV 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 

Catalan:  Terra  Baixa 
Spanish:  Tierra  Baja 


VOLUME  VIII 
The  Drama  League  Series  of  Plays 


VOLUMES  IN 
THE   DRAMA  LEAGUE   SERIES  OF  PLAY 


I.  Kindling      .       .      .       By  CHAELES  KENYON 
II.  A  Thousand  Years  Ago  By  PERCY  MACKAYE 

III.  The  Great  Galeoto       By  JOSE  ECHEGARAY 

IV.  The  Sunken  Bell     .      By  GERHART  HAUPTMANN 
V.  Mary  Goes  First      .     By  HENRY  ARTHUR  JONES 

VI.  Her  Husband's  Wife     By  A.  E.  THOMAS 
VII.  Change   .      .      .      .     By  J.  O.  FRANCIS 
VIII.  Marta  of  the  Lowlands  By  ANGEL  GUIMERA 
Other  Volumes  in  Preparation 


ANGEL  GUIMERA 


MART  A 
OF  THE  LOWLANDS 

(Terra  Baixa) 

A  Play  in  Three  Acts 

BY 
ANGEL    GUIMERA 


TRANSLATED  INTO  SPANISH  BY 

JOSE  ECHEGARAY 

AND  INTO  ENGLISH  BY 

WALLACE  GILLPATRICK 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

JOHN  GARRETT  UNDERBILL 


GARDEN  CITY  NEW  YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 
1915 


Copyright,  1902,  by 

MARBURG  &  GILLPATRICK 

"THE  WOLF" 


In  its  present  form  this  play  is  dedicated  to  the  reading 
public  only,  and  no  performances  of  it  may  be  given. 
Any  piracy  or  infringement  will  be  prosecuted  in  accor- 
dance with  the  penalties  provided  by  the  United  States 
Statutes: — 

Sec.  4866.  —  Any  person  publicly  performing  or  representing 
any  dramatic  or  musical  composition,  for  which  copyright  has 
been  obtained,  without  the  consent  of  the  proprietor  of  the  said 
dramatic  or  musical  composition,  or  his  heirs  or  assigns,  shall 
be  liable  for  damages  therefor,  such  damages  in  all  cases  to  be 
assessed  at  such  sum,  not  less  than  one  hundred  dollars  for  the 
first  and  fifty  dollars  for  every  subsequent  performance  as  to 
the  Court  shall  appear  just,  if  the  unlawful  performance  and 
representation  be  wilful  and  for  profit,  such  person  or  persons 
shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  be  im- 
prisoned for  a  period  not  exceeding  one  year. —  U.  S.  Revised 
Statutes,  Title  60,  Chap.  3. 


INTRODUCTION 

If  he  is  to  appear  in  a  proper  perspective,  Angel 
Guimera  must  be  considered  in  a  double  aspect  — 
first,  as  the  chief  and  best-known  modern  representa- 
tive of  a  literature  by  no  means  at  all  well  known,  and, 
secondly,  as  one  of  the  most  forceful,  most  resourceful, 
and  most  masterful  of  the  dramatists  of  our  time. 

The  Catalan  language  is  one  of  the  Romance  family 
to  which  the  neighbouring  French  and  Spanish  also 
belong.  Like  them  it  derives  from  the  Latin,  but 
its  closest  affinity  is  with  the  Provencal.  The  mediae- 
val troubadours  overran  Catalonia  and  Valencia 
quite  as  they  did  their  own  Provence,  and  Catalan 
attained  its  greatest  development  shortly  afterward, 
during  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries,  at  the 
hands  of  Ramon  Lull  and  Ausies  March.  The  union 
of  the  Spanish  Kingdoms  under  Ferdinand  and  Isa- 
bella and  the  House  of  Hapsburg,  reduced  the  lan- 
guage to  a  position  little  better  than  that  of  a  dialect 
by  the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  Its  status  in 
[v] 


INTRODUCTION 


Barcelona  and  the  surrounding  provinces  might  be 
aptly  compared  to  that  of  the  Gaelic  at  the  same 
period  in  Ireland.  About  the  year  1840  a  systematic 
effort  was  inaugurated  to  restore  it  to  its  former 
position  and  use,  more  especially  as  a  literary  lan- 
guage —  the  language  of  the  ancient  dukedom  of  the 
Berenguers.  Verdaguer  and  Soler  were  the  chief 
names  in  the  earlier  days  of  the  revival  —  the  latter 
in  the  drama.  With  the  lapse  of  years  they  gave 
way  to  writers  such  as  Ignacio  Iglesias  and  the 
painter-poet  Rusifiol,  but  the  first  and  foremost  of 
them  all,  by  right  of  seniority  now  as  of  achievement 
and  reputation,  is  Angel  Guimera. 

Angel  Guimera  was  born  in  Santa  Cruz  de  Tenerife 
in  the  later  forties.  His  father  was  a  Catalan. 
When  seven  years  of  age  he  was  taken  to  Barcelona, 
and  while  still  young  associated  himself  with  the 
Catalan  literary  movement.  All  of  his  writings  are 
in  that  tongue.  Spanish  he  speaks  with  a  sense  of 
constraint.  There  are  to-day  large  numbers  of 
people,  not  only  in  the  country  districts  of  Catalonia 
but  also  in  the  cities  and  even  in  the  capital  of  Bar- 
celona itself,  to  whom  Spanish  is  a  sealed  book. 
For  many  years  these  persons  were  without  any 
means  of  literary  expression,  whether  through  the 
[vi] 


INTRODUCTION 


printing  press  or  upon  the  stage.  Scholars  neglected 
their  tongue;  the  government  discouraged  its  growth. 
The  autocratic  and  repressive  tendencies  of  the 
centuries  preceding  the  Napoleonic  upheaval  had 
made  for  its  debasement  to  the  plane  of  the  vulgar 
and  socially  unfit.  Guimera's  first  plays  were  there- 
fore acted  before  societies  of  amateurs  in  and  about 
Barcelona;  there  was  no  place  for  them  upon  the 
commercial  stage.  A  local  organization  known  as 
La  Gata  had  been  formed  in  the  year  1864  by  Fred- 
erich  Soler,  which  presently  became  metamorphosed 
into  the  Teatre  Catald,  or  Catalan  Theatre,  the  pur- 
pose of  which  was  the  encouragement  of  drama  in 
Catalan.  Performances  were  given  in  various  play- 
houses of  the  city  which  were  secured  to  meet  the 
immediate  needs.  At  length  a  home  was  found  in 
the  Teatre  Romea,  situated  in  one  of  the  older  and 
least  desirable  sections  of  the  city.  In  this  house 
many  of  the  principal  productions  of  the  new  move- 
ment first  saw  the  light.  The  capacity  of  the 
Romea  soon  proved  too  small,  and  the  Teatre  Catald 
was  transferred  to  the  Novetats  on  the  Paseo  de 
Gracia  and  subsequently  to  the  Teatre  Principal,  a 
vast  house,  by  far  the  largest  auditorium  to  be  found 
in  the  province. 

[vii] 


INTRODUCTION 


An  audience  had  now  been  created  for  the  Catalan 
drama.  An  undertaking  which  had  been  purely 
altruistic  in  its  inception  had  been  put  upon  a  firm 
financial  basis,  and  other  and  independent  Catalan 
theatres,  more  mercenary  in  character,  were  spon- 
taneously springing  up.  Yet  such  an  enterprise 
could  not  have  been  successful  had  it  been  merely  a 
matter  of  the  stage.  A  generation  of  philologists 
and  grammarians  had  swept  away  the  old  ignorance 
and  prejudices  and  brought  the  sanction  of  learning 
to  the  popular  speech.  A  Catalan  daily  press  was 
appealing  to  a  wide  circle  of  readers.  Finally  a 
persistent  and  at  times  virulent  separatist  and  anar- 
chistic agitation  cast  a  political  hue  over  the  whole 
movement,  endowing  it  with  a  passion  and  vitality 
which  were  in  no  sense  academic.  The  Catalan  re- 
vival was  a  far  cry  from  the  Provencal,  under  the 
gentle  ministrations  of  Frederic  Mistral.  There 
lies  between  them  more  than  the  border  province  of 
Roussillon. 

In  all  these  activities  Guimera  had  a  part.  For 
many  years  he  has  maintained  the  most  intimate 
relations  with  Pere  Aldavert,  editor  of  the  sometime 
separatist  periodical  La  Renaixensa,  at  whose  press 
his  plays  and  poems  have  been  published.  But  he 
[  viii  ] 


INTRODUCTION 


has  not  associated  himself  with,  nor  has  he  felt  great 
sympathy  for,  the  extreme  radicals  of  the  left  —  of 
the  Ferrer  school.  Few  cities  in  Europe  have  suffered 
as  much  from  the  more  unpleasant  and  flagrant 
features  of  a  somewhat  sordid  liberal  propaganda  as 
Barcelona  has  done,  in  the  attempt  to  acclimatize 
the  spirit  of  French  trade-unionism  without,  however, 
domesticating  its  salutary  checks  and  restraints. 
Guimera  has  opposed  these  excesses.  A  short  dis- 
tance from  his  door,  in  the  Plassa  del  Pi,  is  the  office 
of  publication  of  La  Escena  Catalana  ("The  Catalan 
Stage"),  the  organ  of  the  theatre  of  which  he  is  the 
acknowledged  head.  Here  all  his  works  are  to  be 
found  on  sale,  together  with  the  portraits  of  those 
who  have  become  famous  upon  his  scene.  Here,  too, 
is  the  rendezvous  of  his  followers  —  the  younger 
writers  of  his  school.  This  is  the  organization  which 
he  has  built  up.  Under  the  very  shadow  of  the 
beautiful  church  of  Santa  Maria  del  Pi,  so  representa- 
tive of  the  past  ages  of  Catalan  architecture  and  art, 
the  new  spirit  stirs  —  how  different,  indeed,  from  the 
old  which  lies  sleeping  behind  the  mellowed  facade 
at  its  door!  Guimera's  democracy  is  a  democracy 
of  character.  His  endeavour  has  always  been  to 
appeal  to  the  highest  and  best  in  the  nature  of  his 
[ix] 


INTRODUCTION 


countrymen,  to  point  out  the  evil,  to  distinguish  the 
good,  preparing  by  a  sure  development  for  the  ap- 
proach of  that  day  when  his  people  shall  be  free,  if 
not  in  name  and  in  form,  yet  none  the  less  in  fact, 
as  the  future  shall  determine  in  its  season  because  the 
preparation  has  been  complete. 

The  most  obvious  analogy  to  the  Catalan  is  the 
Irish  literary  revival  under  the  direction  of  Lady 
Gregory  and  Mr.  Yeats.  But  the  most  notable 
achievements  of  the  Irish  have  been  to  date  the 
historical  and  legendary  reconstructions  of  ancient 
material  at  the  hands  of  Lady  Gregory  and  Dr. 
Hyde.  The  Abbey  Theatre  is  still  in  the  experi- 
mental stage.  The  Catalan  has  attained  its  majority. 
Its  history  might  well  be  a  Bible  to  those  of  similar 
faiths.  It  has  produced  in  Enrich  Bor,ras  the  fore- 
most realistic  and  tragic  actor  of  Spain,  and  in  Mar- 
garida  Xirgu  the  most  distinguished  and  popular  of 
its  younger  actresses.  Yet  this  fact  is  not  in  itself  so 
remarkable.  The  creation  of  a  theatre  is  not  beyond 
the  powers  of  a  far-seeing,  gifted,  and  resolute  man. 
On  the  grand  scale  the  feat  had  been  accomplished 
in  Spain  before  by  Lope  de  Vega.  Other  theatres 
whose  resources  have  been  limited  and  the  technical 
average  of  whose  performances  has  not  been  very 
[*] 


INTRODUCTION 


high,  have  nevertheless  been  the  cradle  of  great 
actors.  The  fact  which  is  remarkable  is  that  a 
poet  whose  first  efforts  were  enlisted  in  the  cause  of  a 
movement  which  was  purely  artificial  should  have 
become  without  sacrifice  either  of  purpose  or  of  ideals, 
and  without  diminution  of  sincerity,  perhaps  the  most 
practical  and  technically  proficient  of  the  drama- 
tists of  to-day. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  proceed  very  far  into  the 
theatre  of  Guimera  to  perceive  the  source  of  his 
power  and  the  nature  of  his  gifts.  He  is  a  man  who 
is  singularly  simple  and  sincere  — direct  to  the  point 
of  bluntness.  Keen,  quickly  sensitive  almost  to 
melancholy  under  the  burdens  of  time,  he  is  equally 
incapable  of  partisanship  or  of  denying  his  beliefs. 
These  qualities  are  in  some  degree  evident  from  the 
beginning.  To  them  is  joined  a  singularly  vivid, 
emotional,  imaginative  force  —  wild,  fierce,  abrupt, 
livid  as  the  bare  nerve,  flaming  up  suddenly  and 
illuminating  whole  scenes  as  by  the  direct  light  of 
truth,  seemingly  summoned  from  nowhere,  prepared 
for  and  dependent  upon  no  artifice  of  the  playwright's 
stock,  yet  at  the  same  time  more  effective  than  them 
all  because  so  patently  true.  This  is  the  hallmark 
of  his  genius.  He  is  a  supreme  master  of  situation 
[xi] 


INTRODUCTION 


—  not  the  carefully  constructed,  calculated  climaxes 
alone,  which  are  brought  about  through  scenes  of 
elaborate  preparation,  although  in  these  he  asks  no 
odds  of  the  best;  these  are  the  mere  craftiness  of  a 
Scribe,  the  laborious  experience  of  a  Sardou.  Guim- 
era,  when  his  mind  is  alight,  goes  straight  to  the  heart 
of  the  situation  which  presents  itself,  whether  trivial 
or  involved,  and  lays  bare  the  dramatic  moment  in 
its  essence  and  intense  reality,  to  be  perceived  in- 
stantly by  the  spectator  as  just  and  true.  This  is 
his  distinctive  endowment.  Certainly  no  living 
writer  has  possessed  this  gift  in  so  striking  a  degree. 
Shakespeare  was  his  first  master.  In  the  field  of 
character  as  well  as  in  the  romantic  drama  he  has 
remained  his  model  ever  since.  It  is  not  difficult, 
however,  to  trace  the  leading  of  other  hands.  There 
is  the  influence  of  the  school  of  Hugo  and  Scribe,  as 
of  their  counterparts  the  Spanish  romanticists,  of 
whom  Zorilla  is  the  best  known.  At  their  feet  the 
young  Echegaray  also  sat.  Guimera's  apprentice- 
ship was  served  in  the  poetic  drama.  His  earlier 
plays  are  written  in  blank  verse,  a  form  which  is 
uncongenial  to  Spanish  though  easily  possible  to 
Catalan,  in  which  the  distinctive  effects  of  the  Eng- 
lish metre  may  be  obtained.  As  employed  by  him, 
[xii] 


INTRODUCTION 


it  is  simple  and  rapid  in  movement,  displaying  even 
in  his  youth  few  lyrical  tendencies.  The  superfluous 
word  is  anathema.  Verse  of  this  sort  is  not  to  be 
translated  with  advantage  from  the  straightforward, 
rugged  Catalan  into  sonorous,  redundant  Castilian. 
Although  economy  of  attention  was  later  to  be 
recognized  by  him  as  the  cardinal  dramatic  principle, 
there  is  a  certain  incoherence  in  these  first  plots,  a 
want  of  orderly  and  compelling  progression,  a  defi- 
ance of  restraint.  Defects  of  this  nature  were  not 
uncommon  in  the  plays  of  the  time.  But  there  was 
also  discernible  from  the  outset  a  feeling  for  the 
vivid  and  striking  scene  such  as  marked  a  writer  of 
more  than  ordinary  promise.  Gala  Placidia  was  his 
first  work,  but  the  most  celebrated  which  belongs  to 
this  period  is  Mar  y  Cel  ("  SeaandSky  "),  whosesuccess 
established  his  reputation  not  only  in  Catalonia  but 
throughout  Spain.  It  is  his  chief  lyrical  performance. 
In  its  portrayal  of  the  traditional  conflict  between 
the  seamen  of  the  eastern  littoral  and  the  corsairs  of 
Algiers  the  treatment  is  more  rhapsodic  than  usual, 
and  is  suggestive  of  its  descent  in  the  legitimate  line 
of  the  classic  Spanish  drama  of  the  golden  age  of 
Lope  de  Vega  and  Calderon.  Translations  have  been 
made  into  several  languages  including  English,  but 
[xiii] 


INTRODUCTION 


no  English  performances  have  taken  place.  More 
representative  plays  are  L'Anima  Morta  ("  The  Dead 
Soul")  and  Lo  Fill  del  Rey  ("The  King's  Son"). 
Here  that  extraordinary  and  characteristic  command 
of  imaginative  detail  and  suggestion  are  already  seen. 
Las  Monjas  de  Sant  Ayman  ("The  Nuns  of  St.  Ay- 
man")  is  a  perfervid  romance  in  which  Peter  the 
Hermit  appears  as  one  of  the  leading  characters, 
breathing  the  very  spirit  of  the  mediaeval  times. 

The  production  of  En  Polvora  (1893)  marks  the 
adoption  of  a  new  manner.  Verse  is  exchanged  for 
prose.  The  chief  interest  is  no  longer  patriotic  nor 
romantic  but  sociological.  Polvora  is  the  working 
man.  The  influence  of  Ibsen  becomes  predominant. 
The  play  is  a  play  with  a  purpose,  dealing  with  the 
industrial  problem,  and  as  such  created  at  once  a 
profound  impression.  As  in  most  writing  of  the 
kind  there  is  a  certain  contradiction  between  the 
thesis  which  the  author  has  to  propound  and  what 
would  otherwise  have  been  the  natural  course  of 
the  story.  The  element  of  didacticism  was  uncon- 
genial to  Guimera's  mind.  With  a  single  notable 
exception  it  does  not  reappear;  the  realism  remains, 
and  upon  it  he  now  concentrates  his  attention. 
Rosy  is  the  play  in  which  we  first  encounter 
[xiv] 


INTRODUCTION 


the  writer  of  international  reputation.  It  reveals 
an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  life  of  the  people,  a 
penetrating  sympathy  for  the  poor.  It  establishes 
Guimera  as  a  consummate  craftsman  in  the  minute, 
in  the  welding  together  of  the  apparently  inconse- 
quential into  the  most  momentous  effects.  The 
chance  remark  attains  in  his  hands  the  significance 
of  the  killing  of  a  Scarpia.  He  is,  as  Manuel  Bueno 
has  pointed  out,  an  insuperable  master  of  environ- 
ment, of  setting  the  scene,  of  all  the  arts  of  the 
colourful  and  picturesque.  With  these  is  blended 
a  complete  command  of  theatric  situation  as  it  is 
ordinarily  understood,  of  the  climax,  the  "big"  scene, 
and  all  the  paraphernalia  by  which  these  things  are 
made  to  appear  important  and  real.  If  the  former 
was  the  poetic  this  is  the  theatric  period.  It  cul- 
minates in  Terra  Baixa,  known  in  English  as  "  Marta 
of  the  Lowlands,"  a  play  which  combines  in  greater 
degree  than  any  other  the  various  aspects  of  his 
genius.  In  strength  of  action,  human  sympathy, 
imaginative  illumination,  and  realistic  detail  it  is 
thoroughly  typical. 

Like  Maria  Rosa,  Marta  is  a  tragedy  of  condition, 
and  so  in  a  sense  of  fate.     The  action  is  a  dumb 
pleading  for  the  helpless  and  unfortunate  who  are 
[xv] 


INTRODUCTION 


of  necessity  particularly  exposed  by  the  organization 
of  society  to  the  blows  of  chance.  It  is  in  this  way, 
and  not  through  the  promulgation  of  any  system  or 
theory,  that  Guimera's  work  may  be  said  to  be 
sociological.  Marta  and  Manelich  are  the  peasant 
and  the  labourer  coming  into  opposition  with  arbi- 
trary power,  typified  in  Sebastian  the  lord.  In  the 
conflict  which  is  here  posited,  the  significance  of  the 
drama  lies.  Other  plays  excel  Marta  technically; 
the  monologue  still  remains  as  a  heritage  from  the 
poetic  day,  to  be  discarded  in  the  succeeding  plays, 
Aygua  que  corre  ("  Running  Water  ")  andLaPecadora. 
Besides  these  tragedies,  there  are  a  number  of  come- 
dies of  local  customs  and  country  life  dating  from 
this  time.  There  is  also  some  farce. 

The  last  phase  is  that  of  the  rejection  of  theatric 
device.  Guimera  had  already  shown  in  Maria  Rosa 
how  to  write  compelling  drama  with  a  paucity  of 
situation  but  convincing  solution.  He  had  long 
been  able  to  secure  the  maximum  effect  without 
reliance  upon  any  adventitious  aid,  depending  solely 
upon  the  natural  opposition  of  character  and  upon 
adroitness  in  the  point  of  attack.  He  now  dispenses 
with  elaborately  compounded  structure  and  takes 
his  scenes  as  they  are  suggested  by  the  natural  un- 
[xvi] 


INTRODUCTION 


folding  of  his  subject.  A  simple  event  or  a  single 
happening  suffices  for  an  act.  The  sailor  returns 
from  over  seas  to  sit  down  at  the  table  with  those  at 
home  —  a  chance  gathering,  that  is  all;  but  it  is  the 
first  act  of  Sol  Solet  ("Lonely  and  Lone").  These 
people  live.  Without  any  striving  for  effect  the 
scenes  are  as  dramatically  presented  as  any  upon 
the  stage. 

For  some  time  Guimera  had  enjoyed  a  considerable 
popularity  in  Italy,  and  it  had  come  about  that  a 
number  of  his  plays  had  been  adopted  into  the  reper- 
tory of  the  Sicilian  peasant  players.  One  of  them, 
La  Pecadora,  was  prominent  in  a  gross  perversion 
upon  the  European  and  American  tours  of  Grasso 
and  Mimi  Aguglia.  The  method  of  these  Sicilian 
players  was  an  extreme  naturalistic  sensationalism, 
which  further  was  that  of  the  native  plays  which 
they  chose  to  present.  The  original  impetus  had 
been  imparted  to  the  peasant  drama  in  Italy  by 
Verga  in  his  Cavalleria  Rusticana,  a  combination  of 
melodramatic  situation  and  naturalism  after  the  pro- 
cedure of  the  old  formulas.  With  the  lapse  of  time 
the  naturalistic  element  was  greatly  accentuated  by 
Luigi  Capuana  of  Catania  in  Malia,  as  subsequently 
by  his  followers  in  the  imitations  which  that  play 
[  xvii  ] 


INTRODUCTION 


called  forth.  Signer  Capuana  has  pointed  out  that 
there  is  a  tendency  among  the  peasant  actors  to 
regard  their  stage  as  a  training  ground  and  stepping 
stone  to  something  higher.  Mimi  Aguglia,  having, 
it  was  said,  acted  Duse  off  the  boards,  passed  over 
to  the  Italian  theatre  when  she  had  acquired  a  suffi- 
cient technique.  This  was  the  opposite  of  the  course 
of  Guimera.  He  came  to  the  peasant  theatre  an 
expert  in  the  "well-made"  play.  The  great  prizes 
of  the  drama  had  already  been  his.  In  abandoning 
the  entire  mechanism  of  points,  scenes  afaire,  neces- 
sary climaxes  and  the  like,  he  consciously  puts  aside 
the  attempt  to  be  theatrically  sincere  and  seeks  out  a 
truer  and  freer  means  of  expression.  He  surrenders 
these  husks  of  things  to  his  art.  When  the  history 
of  the  peasant  play  comes  to  be  written,  he  must  be 
accounted  among  its  first  masters.  No  other  writer 
has  brought  to  it  an  approximation  of  such  skill. 

Several  works  which  stand  outside  of  the  general 
canon  are  deserving  of  more  than  passing  mention. 
In  Lo  Cami  del  Sol  ("The  Pathway  of  the  Sun")  he 
has  given  in  his  maturity  a  highly  coloured  account 
of  the  exploits  of  the  mediaeval  Catalan  soldiers  of 
fortune  in  the  Levant.  He  has  composed  some  of 
the  most  effective  of  modern  romantic  melodramas. 
[  xviii  ] 


INTRODUCTION 


Jesus  de  Nazareth  is  a  presentation  of  the  life  of 
Christ  upon  the  stage.  His  latest  production  is 
La  Reyna  Jove  ("  The  Young  Queen  "),  a  theatrical 
tract  in  the  interest  of  republicanism,  ;which  has 
attained  a  wide  vogue.  There  are  also  two  volumes 
of  verse,  Poesias,  besides  Cants  d  la  P atria  ("  Hymns 
to  my  Country  "),  a  volume  of  occasional  prose. 

Guimera's  reputation  must  ultimately  rest  upon 
his  dramas,  although  it  was  as  a  poet  that  he  first 
became  known  to  the  public.  He  has  been  a  familiar 
figure  in  the  civic  life  of  Barcelona  ever  since.  He 
was  a  competitor  in  the  Jocks  Florals  de  Barcelona,  or 
Floral  Games  of  Barcelona,  in  1875,  and  two  years 
later  carried  off  the  three  awards,  of  patriotism,  faith, 
and  love,  which  are  the  prizes  of  these  poetic  festivals, 
as  they  have  been  revived  since  the  middle  of  the 
last  century  in  imitation  of  the  Consistory  of  the 
Gay  Saber  of  the  troubadours,  imported  into  Bar- 
celona from  Toulouse  in  the  year  1393.  Guimera 
became  Mestre  en  Gai  Saber,  and  in  1889  President 
of  the  Floral  Games.  He  is  the  first  of  the  Catalans 
to  break  through  the  limitations  of  an  obscure  local 
tongue  and  to  carry  the  new  literature  of  his  country- 
men beyond  the  boundaries  of  Spain.  His  plays  have 
been  translated  into  more  than  twenty  languages, 
[xix] 


INTRODUCTION 


In  1909  a  great  demonstration  in  his  honour  took 
place  in  Barcelona,  where  a  statue  of  the  shepherd 
Manelich,  hero  of  "Marta  of  the  Lowlands,"  was 
unveiled  in  the  Park  of  Montjuich  as  a  tribute  to 
his  fame.  With  the  translation  of  this  play  he  is 
now  introduced  to  English  and  American  readers. 
JOHN  GABRETT  UNDERBILL. 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE 

It  has  been  said  of  Guimera  that  had  he  elected 
to  write  in  Spanish,  instead  of  in  the  provincial 
Catalan,  he  would  have  been  earlier  recognized  as 
one  of  the  greatest  dramatists  of  modern  Europe. 
It  may  as  truthfully  be  said  that  any  one  of  his  plays, 
when  translated  into  another  language,  immediately 
wins  enthusiastic  recognition  for  his  genius.  While 
Guimera  has  chosen  as  the  medium  for  his  prodigious 
achievement,  both  in  poetry  and  the  drama,  the 
language  employed  in  but  one  of  the  provinces  of 
Spain,  his  work  is  distinguished  not  by  an  essentially 
regional  but  rather  by  a  universal  note.  He  pos- 
sesses the  cosmic,  or  world,  spirit;  his  plays  are 
charged  with  the  passions,  sorrows,  failures,  tri- 
umphs of  the  whole  human  race.  The  Catalan  people 
claim  descent  from  the  ancient  Greeks,  and  their 
pretensions  are  apparently  justified  in  their  art, 
especially  of  the  theatre,  and  more  especially  in  the 
plays  of  Guimera. 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE 


"Marta  of  the  Lowlands,"  the  first  of  the  Guimerd 
plays  to  be  rendered  in  English,  came  to  the  Ameri- 
can theatre  by  way  of  Mexico.  When  Galveston 
was  suffering  the  horrors  of  earthquake  and  flood, 
Mexico's  leading  actress, Virginia  Fabregas,  and  her 
husband  and  leading  actor,  Francisco  Cardona, 
desiring  to  offer  a  benefit  for  the  stricken  American 
city,  honoured  the  writer  by  consulting  him  in  the 
choice  of  a  play.  "Marta  of  the  Lowlands"  (Terra 
Baixd)  was  chosen  as  a  work  whose  virile  theme 
and  treatment  would  attract  an  audience  including 
members  of  the  English  and  American  colonies. 

It  was  due  to  the  presence  in  the  audience  that 
night  of  Mr.  Guido  Marburg,  formerly  an  actor  in 
our  theatre,  that  the  play  eventually  reached  the 
American  stage.  Mr.  Marburg  appreciated  its  possi- 
bilities, immediately  secured  the  rights  from  the 
author,  and  asked  the  writer  to  undertake  the  trans- 
lation. 

"Marta  of  the  Lowlands"  was  produced  in  Eng- 
lish by  Mr.  Harrison  Grey  Fiske  at  the  Manhattan 
Theatre,  New  York,  in  1903.  It  was  rehearsed  and 
staged  by  Mrs.  Fiske.  The  part  of  Marta  was  first 
entrusted  to  Coronna  Riccardo  and  later  to  Fernanda 
Eliscu.  Hobart  Bosworth  played  the  role  of  Mane- 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE 


lich.  The  following  year  it  was  played  throughout 
California  and  the  West  by  Florence  Roberts,  with 
Hobart  Bosworth,  Melbourne  MacDowell,  and  Lu- 
cius Henderson  successively  as  Manelich.  The  play 
was  revived  by  Mr.  Fiske  hi  1907  for  Madame  Kalich 
with  Henry  Kolker  as  Manelich.  And  hi  1910  - 
1911,  Martin  Harvey  and  his  wife  and  leading 
actress,  Nina  de  Silva,  used  the  play  en  tour  through- 
out Great  Britain,  preferring  for  it  as  title,  "The 
Lowland  Wolf."  The  play  has  been  seen  in  France, 
Germany,  Italy,  Servia,  and  in  South  America.  In 
Spain  the  leading  roles  were  created  by  Maria  Guer- 
rero and  her  husband,  Fernando  Diaz  de  Mendoza. 
Its  theme  forms  the  basis  for  the  opera  of  d'Albert 
entitled  "Tiefland." 

In  the  stage  version  of  "Marta  of  the  Lowlands," 
the  soliloquies  and  most  of  the  asides  have  been  cut. 
It  being  the  proper  office  of  a  translator  to  render  a 
foreign  work  as  faithfully  as  may  be,  the  play  is  here 
printed  in  its  entirety. 

W.  G. 


XX11I 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 

(Terra  Baixa) 

act  I 


PERSONS  OF  THE  DRAMA 

MARTA,  peasant  girl 
ANTONIA,  peasant  woman 
PEPA,  a  peasant  woman 
NURI,  a  child 
MANELICH,  a  shepherd 
SEBASTIAN,  a  landed  proprietor 
TOMAS,  an  innkeeper 
MOSEN,  an  overseer 
JOSE  ^ 

Farm  labourers 


NANDO 


PELUCA        ( 
MORRUCHO  J 


ACT  I 

SCENE:  A  mountainous  region  of  Catalonia  in  Spain. 
The  action  occurs  in  the  entrance-hall  or  court  of  a 
mill-house  in  the  country;  on  the  right  a  small  door 
leads  to  a  bedroom;  on  the  left  there  is  a  large  fireplace; 
at  back  of  stage,  on  the  left,  a  small  door,  covered  by  a 
cretonne  curtain,  is  gained  by  a  short  flight  of  steps; 
at  back  of  stage,  right,  a  large  door,  through  which 
are  seen  the  distant  mountains,  with  rocks  and  trees; 
the  mill  is  in  this  direction;  a  small  shed  is  visible; 
toward  the  right  of  stage  are  scattered  milling  im- 
plements, sacks  of  wheat,  etc.;  in  front  of  the  fireplace 
there  is  a  pine  table,  with  an  unlighted  lamp  upon  it, 
and  surrounded  by  plain  wooden  chairs. 

TIME:  Early  afternoon.  When  the  curtain  rises, 
MORRUCHO  is  discovered  sifting  wheat. 

MORRUCHO.  What  does  it  matter  whether  the 
wheat's  clean  or  whether' it  ain't  clean?  It  belongs 
to  the  master.  What  do  I  care? 

Enter  PEPA  with  a  small  basket  of  kidney  beans. 

PEPA.     Good  afternoon. 
[3] 


MARTA  OP  THE  LOWLANDS 


MOERUCHO.     Here  they  are!     The  partridges! 
Enter  ANTONIA. 

ANTONIA.    Hello,  Mornicho! 

MORRUCHO  [indifferently].     Hello! 

PEPA.  We've  come  to  keep  Marta  company.  It 
doesn't  seem  possible,  does  it?  And  the  mill  close 
to  our  house,  too !  If  we  didn't  come [Sugges- 
tive look].  Isn't  it  so? 

MORRUCHO  [still  sifting].     That's  so! 

ANTONIA  [calling  out].  Here  we  are!  Come  out, 
woman ! 

MORRUCHO.  I  don't  think  she'll  come:  so  if  you 
came  to  pry  about,  you  may  as  well  be  off. 

PEPA.  Be  off,  eh?  We'll  see!  [Seats  herself  and 
begins  shelling  beans.]  Help  me,  Antonia. 

ANTONIA  [in  a  low  voice].  Ask  him  about  the 
wedding. 

PEPA.     Wait! 

ANTONIA.     Go  on! 

PEPA  [raising  voice].  Say,  Mornicho,  will  she 
marry  or  not  —  Marta? 

MORRUCHO  [without  noticing  her  begins  humming] : 
"At  the  door  of  the  church,  the  bride  is  waiting 


[4] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


PEPA.  Answer,  man !  Will  she  marry  or  will  she 
not  marry? 

MORRUCHO.  Answer  yourself!  Will  you  marry 
or  will  you  not  marry? 

ANTONIA.     What's  that  to  you? 

PEPA.     You'll  see  when  the  time  comes! 

MORRUCHO.  The  fact  is  you're  both  gettin'  on  — 
how  old  are  you  now?  Tell  the  truth ! 

ANTONIA  [much  annoyed].  We're  just  as  old  as  we 
want  to  be. 

MORRUCHO.     You  wish  you  were,  you  mean. 

ANTONIA.     We 

PEPA  [controlling  her  temper].  Come,  let's  shell 
these  beans. 

MORRUCHO.     Yes,  shell  'em  —  shell  'em ! 

PEPA.  Listen,  Morrucho!  We  didn't  mean  any- 
thing. 

MORRUCHO.  Nor  I,  either.  "  Will  Marta  marry  ? " 
you  asked,  and  I  ask,  "Will  you  marry?"  And  I 
ask  it  for  your  own  good,  so  the  breed  of  partridges 
won't  die  out  —  that's  what  they  call  you  —  the 
partridges;  because  —  see  here  —  your  oldest  brother, 
Jose,  married,  and  in  four  days  he  was  a  widower; 
and  Nando,  or  Fernando,  is  a  bachelor  still.  And 
you  two  both  old  maids!  So  if  Nuri  don't  marry 
[5] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


when  she's  a  little  older,  the  breed  of  partridges  will 
be  lost  —  [he  begins  sifting  and  laughing]  —  and  it 
would  be  a  pity. 

PEPA.  You're  mad  because  you  couldn't  marry 
Marta!  That's  what's  the  matter  with  you! 

MORRUCHO  [singing]:     "At  the  door  of  the  church 

» 

PEPA.  Yes,  sing  —  now  you've  swallowed  your 
rage !  When  Marta 's  father  died,  you  said  to  your- 
self, "Now  I'll  marry  Marta,  and  I'm  the  miller." 

MORRUCHO  [singing] :     "At  the  door  of  the  church 

» 

PEPA.     You  have  precious  little  shame,  Morrucho. 
MORRUCHO.     Every  man  has  as  much  shame  as 
other  people  will  let  him  have. 

NURI  comes  in,  knitting  a  woollen  jacket. 

NURI.  I've  shut  up  my  turkeys  for  the  night. 
May  I  come  in? 

ANTONIA.     Come  in,  child! 

NURI.  Well,  you  always  fight  me  when  I  come  to 
see  Marta  —  that's  why  I  asked  —  and  Marta  cares 
more  for  me  than  you  do. 

PEPA.     Will  you  be  quiet?     Gabbler! 

NUEI.  Pepa,  take  up  the  stitches  in  this  jacket 
[6] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


for  me.  I  was  runnin'  and  they  caught  on  some 
briars. 

PEPA.     Look!    She  calls  this  a  jacket! 

Num.     It  is  a  jacket! 

PEPA.  Well,  well,  stop  your  gabbin'  and  tell  us 
about  it. 

Num.     What  have  I  to  tell? 

PEPA.  What  did  we  send  you  to  the  inn  for? 
Muttonhead! 

NURI.  Oh,  yes  —  but  the  innkeeper  wasn't  there. 
His  wife  was,  though.  She  told  me  such  things  — 
what  things  she  did  tell  me! 

ANTONIA  [with  interest].     Well  —  well? 

Num.  Well,  she  told  me  —  "All  this  that  you 
see  —  all  belongs  to  the  Master  Sebastian :  the  house 
you  live  in  (she  meant  ours),  the  inn,  the  mill,  the 
farmhouse,  all  belong  to  the  master." 

PEPA.     Well!    That  is  news! 

ANTONIA.     And  didn't  she  tell  you  anything  else? 

NURI.  Indeed  she  did!  Wait  till  I  remember! 
She  said  if  I  walked  and  walked  until  to-morrow, 
every  mite  of  ground  I  walked  over  would  belong  to 
Master  Sebastian.  I  catch  a  bird  —  I  must  let  it 
go,  because  it's  the  master's.  If  a  lizard  runs  across 
my  path,  I  mustn't  smash  it  with  a  rock,  because  it's 
[7] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


the  master's.  If  I  see  a  fish  in  the  river,  I  mustn't 
try  to  catch  it,  because  if  I  hook  it  by  the  gills,  it's 
just  the  same  as  if  I  hooked  Master  Sebastian! 

ANTONIA.     What  stuff! 

PEPA  [angrily].  It  was  Marta's  wedding  we  sent 
you  to  ask  about !  Stupid! 

NURI.  But  it's  only  four  days  since  Tomas  and 
his  wife  came,  and  they  don't  know  anything  about 
Marta's  wedding. 

PEPA.     Where  was  Tomas? 

Num.     Oh!  he  had  gone  to  look  for  the  shepherd. 

ANTONIA.     What  shepherd? 

NURI.  Why,  the  shepherd!  The  one  who  is 
comin'  from  far  off  to  marry  Marta  to-night. 

PEPA.     To-night!     Do  you  hear,  Antonia? 

ANTONIA  [wagging  her  head].     I  thought  as  much! 

MORRUCHO  [returning  to  his  work].  Now  they 
know. 

PEPA.  And  who  sent  Tomds  to  fetch  the  shepherd? 
It  was  Sebastian.  No? 

NURI  [unwilling  to  answer].     Let  me  alone. 

ANTONIA.     Answer,  child!     If  you  don't 

NURI  [petulantly].  Well,  it  was  the  master  — 
your  master,  and  mine,  and  Tomas's,  and  Marta's. 
They  will  be  married  because  he  wants  them  to  be, 
[8] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


and  because  he  is  the  master.     [Offers  yarn  to  AN- 
TONIA.]     Hold  this  yarn  for  me! 

ANTONIA  [to  MORRUCHO].  You  didn't  want  us  to 
know! 

[MORRUCHO  laughs.] 

PEPA.  Well,  now  we  know,  and  we'll  go  to  the 
wedding  if  we  burst. 

MORRUCHO  [to  NURI].     Hoity-toity! 

NURI.  Well,  I  —  I  knew  Marta  belonged  to  the 
master,  and  that  when  he  told  her  to  marry,  she 
would  have  to  marry. 

PEPA.     What  is  the  child  talkin'  about? 

NURI.  I  say  I  knew  it,  because  one  day  I  heard 
it;  but  I  didn't  tell  you  what  I  heard,  because  I  was 
ashamed.  I  don't  know  why,  but  I  was. 

ANTONIA.     Tell  us  —  what  was  it? 

PEPA.     Yes,  tell  us! 

NURI.  Well,  listen!  One  evening  I  was  in  the 
woods  with  my  turkeys,  and  I  saw  Master  Sebastian 
and  Marta  comin'  up  the  path.  They  didn't  see 
me.  They  were  walkin'  along  slowly  and  Marta 
was  cryin'.  And  she  said,  "I  know  I  must  always 
belong  to  you"  —  [she  imitates  the  plaintive  voice  of 
MARTA]  —  and  the  master  said,  "And  I  belong  to 
you,  even  if  you  marry,  and  I  marry."  [She  imitates 
[9] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


the  gruff  voice  of  SEBASTIAN].  Do  you  hear?  How 
funny !  Marta  —  well,  of  course,  every  one  knows 
she  belongs  to  the  master,  like  all  of  us;  but  the 
master  said  he  belonged  to  Marta!  I  can't  under- 
stand that;  can  you? 

PEPA  [significantly].     Didn't  I  tell  you,  Antonia? 
ANTONIA.     Well,  didn't  I  know  it? 
MORRUCHO  [shaking  his  head].     Even  the  children 
must  have  a  finger  in  the  pie! 

NURI.     But  will  you  tell  me  how  the  master  can 
belong  to  Marta? 

MORRUCHO.     Hush,  child! 

NURI.     Well,  don't  you  know?    And  if  you  do 
know,  why  shouldn't  I  know?     She  belongs  to  him, 

and  he  belongs  to  her  —  there It's  a  worse 

tangle  than  this  old  yarn! 

MORRUCHO  [he  puts  finger  to  lips  and  in  a  warning 
tone].     Hush!     Marta! 

[They  think  MARTA  is  coming  from  within 
the  house  and  turn  in  that  direction;  but 
MARTA  comes  in  the  entrance  with  head 
bowed,  and,  on  seeing  the  women,  enters  the 
house  quickly.] 
ANTONIA  [seeing  her].  Look!  She  came  from  the 

mill !     I  thought 

[10] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


PEPA.  Let's  see  what  she  says  when  she  sees  us! 
[Calling.]  Marta! 

ANTONIA  [sneering].     Say  in'  her  prayers! 

PEPA  [calling].     Marta!     Marta! 

ANTONIA.     We  are  waiting! 

PEPA.     What's  that  to  her? 

MORRUCHO  [going  toward  the  mill].  I  wish  I  had 
your  tongues  between  the  millstones. 

PEPA  [calling].  We're  goin'  to  your  wedding. 
Ain't  you  glad? 

NURI  [delighted].  Oh,  yes!  Then  I  shall  see  how 
people  act  when  they  get  married! 

ANTONIA.     We  must  tell  Jose  and  Nando ! 

PEPA.     Here  they  are  now! 

JOSE  and  NANDO  enter  from  without,  with  farm  im- 
plements, and  greatly  excited. 

JOSE.     We  know  all  about  it! 

NANDO.  They're  to  be  married  to-night  —  every- 
thing very  secret  —  the  papers,  the  priest,  every- 
thing. 

PEPA.     Well,  I  guess  we  know  it,  too! 

JOSE.     We  knew  it  before  you  did.    Peluca  told  us. 

ANTONIA.  We  knew  it  before  you  did,  for  Nuri 
told  us. 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


PEPA.     And  the  innkeeper's  wife  told  her. 

NANDO.     And  the  innkeeper  himself  told  Peluca. 

PEPA.     Who?     Tomas? 

NANDO.     Tomas. 

ANTONIA  [in  a  warning  voice  so  the  others  will  speak 
softly],  Marta's  in  there  makin'  herself  pretty. 

JOSE  [lowering  his  voice].  They  can't  fool  me! 
The  master's  been  himtin'  a  husband  for  her  for  a 
long  time;  but  he  couldn't  find  one.  They  both 
wanted  a  man  who  would  be  like  a  dumb  brute  — 
more  so  than  any  of  us  —  but  they  couldn't  find 
him. 

PEPA.     Go  on ! 

ANTONIA.     Go  on,  Jose! 

[Num  listens  attentively  in  wide-eyed  astonish- 
ment.] 

JOSE.  Well,  Tomas  the  hermit,  who  is  always 
sayin'  or  doin'  the  wrong  thing,  told  the  master  — 
not  meanin'  any  harm  —  that  he  knew  a  lad,  a  shep- 
herd, who  had  lived  all  his  life  up  there  in  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Cabreriza,  among  the  goats,  and  that  he 
was  soft  as  dough.  When  the  master  heard  him  say 
that  about  Manelich  —  that's  the  shepherd's  name 
—  he  began  to  laugh,  because  he  already  knew  him. 
Manelich's  herd  belongs  to  Sebastian.  Well,  the 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


next  day  the  master  went  up  there,  and  that's  how 
it  was  settled  that  Manelich  should  marry  Marta. 
And  he's  goin'  to  marry  her  to-night. 

ANTONIA  [scornfully].     He  must  be  without  shame. 

PEPA.     Like  her!     She  hasn't  any  shame. 

NANDO.  He's  a  brute  —  an  animal !  He's  never 
seen  anything  in  his  life  but  goats  —  hardly  ever  a 

man  —  and  a  woman Why,  he's  never  laid 

eyes  on  one,  outside  of  his  —  [lowering  voice]  —  they 
say  his  parents  were  goats! 

PEPA.  So,  Marta's  the  first,  eh?  Well,  he's  seen 
a  good  one! 

ANTONIA.     Indeed  he  has! 

NUBI.  You  shan't  talk  so!  Marta  is  good  and 
she  loves  me!  One  day  she  kissed  me  and  cried, 
and  she  said  when  she  was  little  she  was  just  like  me. 

PEPA  [disdainfully].     Like  you! 

ANTONIA.     She  wishes  she  was! 

NURI.  No,  not  like  me,  but  perhaps  she  wishes 
she  was  like  you,  Antonia! 

ANTONIA.     Be  still,  you  simpleton! 

PEPA  [to  JOSE].     Go  on,  tell  us  the  restf 

JOSE.  There's  nothin'  more  to  tell.  When  Tomas 
was  on  his  way  to  the  mountain,  he  stopped  at 
Peluca's  house  to  take  a  drink,  and  told  him  all 
[131 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


about  it:  Peluca  has  told  everybody;  and  when  they 
least  expect  it,  they'll  find  the  whole  town  at  the 
wedding.  And  now  you  know  it  all. 

PEPA.     Tomas  is  in  fine  business! 

NANDO.  Yes!  The  old  man  don't  know  any- 
thing about  Sebastian  and  Marta;  he's  only  been  at 
the  inn  four  days. 

ANTONIA.     Well,  I'll  tell  him! 

JOSE.  Yes,  do!  Talk!  Talk!  And  the  master 
will  take  away  our  house  and  our  land ! 

PEPA  [to  ANTONIA].     You'll  keep  your  mouth  shut! 

JOSE.     The  master  is  always  right! 

NANDO.     That's  why  he's  the  master! 

JOSE  [in  explanatory  tone].     We  —  are  beasts! 

PEPA.     Well,  you  may  be 

ANTONIA.     Who  are  you  callin'  beasts? 

JOSE.     The  ones  I'm  lookin'  at  — 

NANDO.     That's  it!    The  ones  he's  lookin' at! 
[All  begin  talking  angrily  at  the  same  time.] 

NANDO  [warningly].     Sh-h-h!     Here  comes  Marta! 

MARTA  comes  from  door  on  right. 

MARTA  [imperiously].     Out  of  here  —  all  of  you! 
PEPA.     Yes  —  we  know  all  about  it,  Miss! 
MARTA.     Go ! 

[141 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


JOSE.     We  came  to 


[MARTA  catches  up  the  basket  of  beans  and 
throws  it  out  of  the  door.] 

MARTA.     Go  home! 

ANTONIA.     My  beans!     What  a  tiger! 

PEPA.  Well!  That's  a  nice  way!  And  you're 
not  the  mistress,  either! 

MARTA.     Go,  and  go  quickly! 

ANTONIA  [begins  to  pick  up  the  beans].  Pepa,  help 
me  with  these  beans !  She's  on  her  high  horse ! 

PEPA  [to  MARTA].     We're  goin'  —  we're  goin' - 
you're  in  a  fine  temper  for  your  wedding  day ! 

MARTA  [aside].     I  wish  to  see  no  one! 

NURI  [going  toward  her].     Not  even  me  —  Nuri? 

MARTA.  Yes  —  come  here  —  give  me  a  kiss ! 
[Kisses  her,  weeping.]  Now  leave  me!  [Pushes  her 
gently  away.] 

NURI.  PoorMarta!  She's  very  unhappy !  [Put- 
ting her  hand  to  her  cheek.]  Why,  my  cheek  is  all 
wet! 

They  all  go  out,  NURI  looking  back  at  MARTA. 

MARTA  [alone].     I'm  not  crying!     Why,  it's  years 
since    I've    cried!     I    thought    I'd    forgotten    how! 
[Pause.]     I  ought  to  have  told  Sebastian  I  would  not 
[151 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


marry  that  man  —  that  he  should  not  drive  me  to 
church  with  him!  [Pause.]  Yet,  why  not?  I'm 
nobody !  For  him  less  than  nobody.  For  Sebastian, 
I  have  been  a  beast,  nothing  more !  Oh,  my  mother! 
Can  you  see  me  now?  I  must  marry!  And  I  must 
marry!  Why  can't  they  leave  me  alone?  I  want 
to  be  alone  —  yes,  alone  —  now  that  I  can  weep 
again !  But  if  Sebastian  saw  me  —  he  would  strike 
me,  as  he  did  before!  [Changing  tone.]  He  doesn't 
want  me  to  marry  —  but  there's  no  other  way  — 

except  to  turn  me  out [With  exultation.]     Oh, 

if  he  would !  To  be  free  —  free  from  this  awful  life ! 
[With  depression.]  But  he  never  will!  I'm  bad! 
If  I  were  not  bad,  I  would  have  run  away  long  ago  — 
or  drowned  myself  in  the  pool.  But  I'm  a  coward ! 
[Listens.]  Who's  that?  Perhaps  it's  Manelich!  I 
won't  see  him!  [She  goes  in  house. 

NURI  comes  bounding  in,  followed  by  TOMAS,  MORRU- 
CHO,  PEPA  and  ANTONIA. 

NURI.     Tomas  is  coming! 
TOMAS  [entering].     Ay!     How  tired  I  am! 
MORRUCHO.     Ain't  the  shepherd  comin'? 
TOMAS.      He's   on   the   road.     If   he   ain't,   it's 
because  he  can't  find  any  one  to  mind  his  goats. 
[16] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


So,  you  can  tell  Marta,  and  ring  the  bells  for  the 
wedding. 

NURI  [excitedly].     I'll  tell  her! 

MORRUCHO.  Let  her  alone!  She'll  come  when 
she  gets  ready. 

TOMAS  [chuckling].  When  I  think  of  it  —  that  it 
was  I  who  made  this  marriage,  I'm  as  happy  as 

ANTONIA.     And  is  Manelich  happy,  too? 

TOMAS.  Happy?  The  poor  lad's  as  happy  as  if 
he'd  just  been  born. 

PEPA.     Well,  I've  heard  he's  a  perfect  clown! 

ANTONIA.     A  blockhead! 

MORRUCHO  [aside].     I'll  tell  Tomas! 

TOMAS.  Who  told  you  so?  Manelich  is  —  is  — 
an  angel;  he's  better  than  —  white  bread  —  with  a 
—  with  a  heart  of  butter  —  and  a  pair  of  arms  —  to 
strangle  a  man  —  the  same  as  they  would  a  wolf  — 
and  the  same  as  they  did  a  wolf! 

NURI.     Oh,  I  know  he's  good  —  and  pretty,  too! 

PEPA.     Be  still,  child! 

ANTONIA.     But  tell  us  about  your  journey! 

TOMAS  [delighted].     There's  nothing  to  tell !     I  got 

there  at  daybreak,  and  when  I  found  myself  safe  in 

the  corral,  among  the  sheep  and  the  goats,  I  began 

to  sing.     Then  the  dogs  began  barkin',  and  Manelich 

[17] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


came  runnin'  out  with  his  gun.  When  he  saw  me, 
he  jumped  for  joy.  He's  more  in  love  with  Marta 
than 

Num.  When  people  are  in  love  they  jump  —  but 
how  do  they  get  in  love? 

TOMAS.  Dear  child!  It's  a  thing  that  ain't 
taught  in  the  Bible  nor  in  school!  You'll  learn  it 
some  day  —  all  by  yourself!  Manelich  didn't  know 
—  but  he  knows  now !  All  day  long  he's  talkin'  to 
Marta! 

ANTONIA.     What's  that?     Marta  went  up  there? 

PEPA.     The  bold  thing!     To  run  after  him! 

TOMAS.  No,  no!  You  don't  understand  at  all! 
Manelich  has  named  a  goat  "Marta,"  and  he's 
always  talkin'  to  her.  It's  Marta  here  and  Marta 
there,  and  the  poor  thing  knows  her  name  and  runs 
to  him.  Those  goats  know  a  heap ! 

PEPA.     Did  you  ever?     The  fool! 

ANTONIA.  That's  what  the  master  wants  —  a 
fool! 

TOMAS.  There,  there!  It's  time  the  boy  was 
here! 

Num.     Let's  go  and  meet  him! 
[All  turn  toward  the  gate.] 

ANTONIA.     Come  on ! 

[18] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


Num.     Hurry!  [They  go  out. 

MORRUCHO.    Tomas ! 

TOMAS.     What  is  it,  boy? 

MORRUCHO.  Say!  Were  you  never  here  before 
—  honest? 

TOMAS.     No,  son!     Why? 

MORRUCHO.     Nor  at  the  master's  house? 

TOMAS.  No!  I  was  workin'  a  piece  of  land  for 
Sebastian's  uncle  —  over  there  near  the  city ;  but  I 
had  to  quit.  I'm  gettin'  old!  Sebastian  gave  us 
the  inn  —  the  wife  and  me  —  for  us  to  live  in. 

MORRUCHO.  So!  Then  you  don't  know  any- 
thing? 

TOMAS.     What  about,  son? 

MORRUCHO.     Why,  the  weddin' ! 

TOMAS.  Speak  plain,  lad!  I  don't  understand 
you. 

MORRUCHO.  All  right,  I  will!  If  Manelich  is  a 
fool,  as  they  say  he  is,  he  oughtn't  to  marry  Marta. 
If  he  ain't  a  fool,  and  has  some  pride  about  him, 
much  less. 

TOMAS  [chuckling].  The  trouble  with  you  is,  lad, 
you  envy  him ! 

MORRUCHO.  Envy  him!  I  wouldn't  have  Marta 
if  she  was  covered  over  with  gold!  And  I'll  tell  you 
F191 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


something  else,  in  case  you  don't  know:  I'm  lookin' 
for  another  master.  You're  makin'  a  nice  mess  of 
it  between  you ! 

TOMAS  [getting  angry].     What  do  you  mean? 

MORRUCHO.  If  you  don't  know  Marta's  history, 
learn  it! 

TOMAS.     Marta's  history?     Tell  it  to  me! 

MORRUCHO.  It's  short  enough!  Marta  was  a 
little  thing,  beggin'  on  the  road  with  her  father  —  or 
a  man  who  said  he  was  her  father.  Sebastian  took 
them  in,  and  gave  the  old  man  the  mill.  He's  kind 
hearted,  is  the  master! 

TOMAS.     It  was  an  act  of  charity,  evil  tongue! 

MORRUCHO.  A  fine  act  of  charity!  Don't  the 
whole  world  know  that  Marta  and  Sebastian  —  eh 
—  now  do  you  understand? 

TOMAS  [excitedly].  It's  not  true !  Get  out  of  here, 
evil  tongue! 

MORRUCHO.  Evil  tongue,  eh?  I  see  you  have  a 
hand  in  it  —  that's  what  I  see ! 

TOMAS.     I  have  a  hand  in  it?     You  say  that? 

MORRUCHO.     Yes!    That's  what  I  say! 

TOMAS.     Mischief-maker ! 

MORRUCHO.  We'll  see  who  is  the  biggest  mischief^ 
maker! 

[20] 


MARTA  OF  THE   LOWLANDS 


JOSE  enters. 

JOSE.     Manelich  has  come! 

MORRUCHO  [aside].     I'm  a  fool  to  mix  in  what 
don't  concern  me! 

[Shouts  outside  of  "Manelich!  Manelich!"} 

PEPA  enters. 
PEPA.     Where's  Marta? 

ANTONIA  enters. 
ANTONIA.     What  is  she  doing? 

NANDO  enters  ivith  three  men. 
NANDO.     Here  he  is ! 

MANELICH  comes  bounding  in. 

MANELICH.     Yes,  here  I  am!     I  came  runnin'  like 
a  buck! 

NURI  enters. 

NURI.     Let  me  see  him!     I  want  to  see  him! 

Boys  and  girls  in  gala  attire  come  in;  the  girls'  heads 
are  uncovered. 

TOMAS  [to  MANELICH].     So,  you  came  runnin',  did 
you,  lad? 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH.     Runnin'  —  yes!     Where  is  she? 

PEPA  [calling].  Marta!  Marta!  Your  beau  is 
here! 

ANTONIA.  And  you  should  never  keep  your  beau 
Wai  tin' ! 

TOMAS.     She'll  come!    She'll  come! 

MANELICH  [looking  at  those  about  him].  Holy  Vir- 
gin! What  a  lot  of  people  there  are  in  the  world! 
[They  all  laugh.  He  goes  and  looks  in  the  door  at  left 
and  comes  back.]  And  you're  all  happy!  So  am  I! 
But  I  don't  want  to  think  about  the  mountains! 
When  I  think  about  the  mountains,  I'm  sad!  I've 
left  all  my  goats  and  my  dogs  up  there,  and  the  poor 
things  love  me  like  a  brother,  though  I  say  it  who 
shouldn't!  Ah,  Tomas,  they'll  have  a  hard  time 
with  me  away!  Who  will  save  them  from  the  wolf? 
He  may  come  to-night!  [Dejectedly.]  That  makes 
me  feel  bad ! 

[All  laugh,  and  at  last  MANELICH  laughs  in- 
genuously; he  then  looks  toward  the  door  again 
to  see  if  MARTA  is  coming.] 

NURI.     How  funny  he  is !    And  how  good! 

TOMAS.     Come,  rest  a  bit,  lad! 

MANELICH.     I'm  not  tired!    Tell  me,  does  the 
wolf  ever  come  down  here? 
[22] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MORRUCHO.  Sometimes!  You'll  see!  [Aside.] 
Unless  God  helps  you. 

[All  laugh  maliciously  and  make  signs  to  each 
other.] 

MANELICH  [surprised].     Well!     Anybody  would 
think  you  were  all  goin'  to  be  married ! 

TOMAS.  There,  there,  that  will  do !  Leave  us  — 
leave  us  — 

MANELICH.  No!  No!  [Detains  them.]  But  when 
Marta  conies  —  yes!  She's  pretty,  eh?  [He  goes 
from  one  to  another  asking  if  she  is  not  pretty.] 

PEPA.     Pretty !     That  she  is  —  and  fresh ! 

JOSE.     Fresh  above  all ! 

ANTONIA.  Well,  I  should  say  so  —  like  a  head  of 
lettuce  left  out  over  night! 

MANELICH  [impatiently].     Why  don't  she  come? 

ANTONIA.     She's  washin'  her  face! 

MANELICH  [delightedly].     She's  washin'  it  for  me! 
[All  laugh.] 

ANTONIA.  Yes,  for  you  —  she's  washin'  it  for  you 
—  and  she  does  well !  May  she  wash  it  hard ! 

PEPA.  Say !  Just  to  pass  the  time,  won't  you  tell 
us  how  it  came  about  ?  You  know  —  the  wedding ! 

MANELICH.     Yes!    Why  not? 

[They  all  cry  "  Tell  us  I     Tell  us  I "] 
[23] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


Num  [going  to  his  side],     I'm  goin'  to  listen  here! 

[MANELICH  seats  himself  on  the  table;  NURI  is 

at  his  side;  he  caresses  her  from  time  to  time; 

finally  he  puts  his  legs  over  the  table,  as 

though  it  were  a  rock  on  the  mountain.] 

MANELICH.  Well,  you  must  know  that  up  there 
in  the  mountains,  when  it  begins  to  get  dark,  the 
first  thing  I  do  is  to  drive  in  my  goats.  Poor  things! 
Then  I  put  my  dogs  on  guard.  They're  braver  than 
lions !  Then  I  go  into  the  hut,  and  before  the  sleep 
gets  me,  every  night,  without  missin'  one,  I  say  my 
prayers;  first  a  paternoster,  and  then  another  pater- 
noster, which  makes  two  paternosters.  [He  looks 
from  one  to  another  for  approval.  All  nod  assent.] 
The  first  for  the  souls  of  my  father  and  my  mother, 
because  they  loved  each  other  so;  one  is  enough  for 
both.  And  the  other  paternoster  —  do  you  know 
what  it  is  for?  Why,  so  the  Lord  would  send  me 
a  good  wife !  [All  laugh;  MOREUCHO  has  gone  to  the 
gate;  TOMAS  is  apart,  looking  crestfallen;  MANELICH 
is  annoyed  at  their  laughter.]  It's  nothin'  to  laugh  at ! 
[They  laugh  again.]  Well,  the  next  man  that  laughs 
I'll  give  him  somethin'  that'll  keep  him  laughin'  for  a 
week! 

TOMAS  [aside].  Holy  Virgin!  I  can't  believe  it! 
[24] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NUEI.  Go  on,  go  on!  It's  lovely,  what  you're 
tellin'  us! 

MANELICH  [smiling  again].  Yes,  so  it  is  —  yes! 
Well !  One  night  I  go  in,  and  I  say  the  first  pater- 
noster for  my  father  and  my  mother,  and  begin  the 
other,  but  I  don't  finish  it;  for  in  the  middle  of  it, 
all  of  a  sudden,  the  sleep  gets  me  —  and  I  am  asleep. 
And  I  dreamed  that  the  herd  got  frightened  and  ran, 
scatterin',  here  and  there,  toward  the  lagoon  of 
Breftal,  I  chasin'  the  herd  —  the  herd  flyin'  before 
me  —  till  at  last  I  took  my  sling,  and  put  in  a  stone 
—  [he  takes  sling  from  side  as  though  to  throw  with  it]  — 
and  away  it  went !  It  fell  in  the  middle  of  the  lagoon 
and  the  water  began  to  rush  and  boil  and  a  thick 
black  smoke  came  up,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  smoke 
there  were  eyes  and  arms,  and  long  robes  that  went 
trailin'  out  across  the  water,  and  there  was  no  end 
to  them.  [Pause.]  I  don't  know  whether  they  were 
witches,  or  whether  they  were  not  witches!  One  of 
them  was  beautiful  —  like  the  Virgin  they  carry  in 
the  procession  on  Sunday.  I  knelt  down,  and  fin- 
ished sayin'  the  paternoster,  and  then  I  went  to 
sleep  again;  so  I  couldn't  tell  whether  it  was  the 
witch  or  the  Virgin.  All  I  know  is,  she  told  me  I 
would  be  married  soon.  [All  murmur,  "It  was  a 
[25] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


witch,  Manelich,  a  witch!"]  And  that  very  morning 
I  saw  three  mules,  with  three  riders  of  flesh  and  blood, 
come  out  of  the  fog  and  up  the  mountain.  I  had 
just  time  to  cut  off  a  kid's  head,  and  put  it  to  broil 
on  the  coals,  and  then  I  laughed!  [Pause.]  Well, 
we  were  eatin',  when  the  master  called  me  one  side, 
and  said,  "Are  you  contented  to  be  a  shepherd, 
Manelich?"  And  I  said,  "Why,  of  course!  It's 
what  I've  always  been !"  And  he:  "Wouldn't  you 
rather  be  a  miller?"  And  I:  "I  don't  know,  I  don't 
know!"  And  he:  "And  wouldn't  you  like  to 
marry  a  pretty  girl  ?  "  He  made  me  feel  —  you  don't 
know  how  he  made  me  feel !  "  Why,  if  she  liked  me," 
I  said,  "and  if  she  was  pretty!"  You  remember? 
[To  TOMAS.] 

TOMAS.     Yes !     Marta  came  over  where  I  was,  so 
you  could  talk  with  the  master. 

MANELICH.  So!  And  the  master  said  —  low - 
so  she  couldn't  hear:  "I  took  her  and  her  father  in, 
and  gave  them  the  mill  next  to  my  house;  and  the 
father  is  dead  —  and  the  place  needs  a  miller.  Look 
well  now,  and  see  if  you  would  like  to  marry  Marta ! 
And  I'll  pay  all  the  expenses  of  the  wedding."  Well, 
I  went  closer,  and  looked  at  Marta,  and  I  liked  her. 
very  much,  but  very  much !  And  I  told  the  master, 
[26] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


"All  right,  I'll  marry  her!"  Then  the  master  went 
up  to  Marta,  and  I  followed  him,  and  he  asked  her 
if  she  liked  me;  and  she  nodded  her  head,  which 
meant  "Yes."  And  I  wanted  to  laugh  —  [in  mysti- 
fied tone]  —  but  she  was  cryin' ;  and  so  it  seemed  to 
me  I  ought  to  cry,  too.  But  I  couldn't;  and  I  began 
to  laugh;  and  I  laughed  so  hard  the  mountains  trem- 
bled, and  the  goats  were  frightened,  and  the  dogs 
began  barkin'!  [With  much  naivete.]  Well!  And 
so  we  were  sweethearts! 

ANTONIA.     What  luck  you  have  had,  Manelich! 

PEPA.     Good  luck  indeed! 

MANELICH.  Yes!  It  was  all  fixed  —  [snapping 
his  fingers]  —  like  that!  That  night  I  only  said  one 
paternoster,  because  the  Lord  had  sent  me  a  wife. 
And  now,  what  do  you  say  to  the  dream?  Was  it 
the  witch  or  was  it  the  Virgin? 

NURI  .     The  Virgin !     The  Virgin ! 

MORRUCHO  [aside  to  TOMAS].     The  witch! 

TOMAS.     Hush ! 

[NuRi  looking  from  the  entrance.] 

NURI.     The  master!    The  master! 

SEBASTIAN  and  MOSEN  come  in.     MORRUCHO  goes  to 
the  shed  on  the  right. 

[27] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.     Has  Manelich  come? 

MANELICH.  Here  I  am,  master!  [He  attempts  to 
kiss  SEBASTIAN'S  hand.] 

SEBASTIAN  [rebuffing  him].  There,  there.  That 
will  do!  AndMarta? 

TOMAS.     She's  inside. 

SEBASTIAN  [to  MOSEN].  Tell  her  to  come  out. 
[MosEN  goes  to  call  her.]  Everything  is  arranged  — 
the  papers  and  all.  [To  MANELICH.]  You  will  be 
married  at  the  inn  at  once. 

MANELICH.  Master  —  I  can't  talk  much  —  but 
if  it  wasn't  for  the  respect  —  master  —  if  I  wasn't 

afraid  I'd  hug  too  hard [He  attempts  to  embrace 

SEBASTIAN.] 

SEBASTIAN  [repulsing  him].  Many  thanks!  That 
will  do! 

MOSEN  [coming  from  within].     She  is  coming. 

SEBASTIAN  [impatiently].     Marta! 

TOMAS  [in  low  voice].  I  must  speak  to  you,  Se- 
bastian. 

SEBASTIAN.  No!  Another  time.  Marta!  Thank 
God!  The  girl  has  come  at  last. 

MARTA  comes  from  within. 

MARTA  {scornfully}.     What  a  hurry  we  are  in! 
[28] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.     Here  you  have  Manelich. 

MARTA  [nervously].     Yes [Aside.]     It  has 

come!     [To  SEBASTIAN.]     Yes  —  let  us  go. 

MANELICH  [to  MARTA].  And  not  a  word  for 
me? 

MARTA  [aside].  He  disgusts  me  more  than  Sebas- 
tian! 

MANELICH  [to  TOMAS]  .     Bashful ! 

PEPA  [apart  to  ANTONIA].  He's  forcin'  her  to 
marry  him. 

ANTONIA.     She's  goin'  to  cry. 

SEBASTIAN  [approaching  MARTA  and  in  a  low,  an- 
gry voice].  Speak  to  him! 

MARTA  [pleadingly].  Sebastian!  For  the  love  of 
God! 

SEBASTIAN.     I  command  you ! 

MARTA  [to  MANELICH,  with  a  forced  smile].  I  am 
very  happy!  And  you? 

MANELICH  [grinning].     Well,  can't  you  see? 

SEBASTIAN.     More,  Marta,  more! 

MARTA.     No ! 

SEBASTIAN  [fiercely].     Careful,  Marta,  careful! 

MOSEN  [aside  to  SEBASTIAN].  Keep  cool!  [Rais- 
ing voice.]  And  isn't  the  bridegroom  going  to  put  on 
his  new  clothes? 

[29] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN  [ironically].  Tnie!  We  must  deck 
this  fine  fellow  in  his  wedding  clothes ! 

[All  begin  to  laugh,  and  nudge  each  other,  repeat- 
ing, "  Fine  fellow  I    Fine  fellow  I  " 
MANELICH.     Well,  there's  nothin'  to  laugh  at.     If 
to  be  a  fine  fellow  means  to  throw  farther  with  the 
sling  than  anybody,  to  leap  from  cliff  to  cliff  like  the 
goats,  to  carry  Marta  on  my  shoulder  through  the 
deep  places  in  the  river  when  the  snow  comes  down, 
then  I  am  a  fine  fellow! 

[PELUCA    and    NANDO    are    convulsed    with 

laughter.] 

PELUCA.  Hurry  man!  Come  and  change  your 
clothes.  You'll  look  like  one  of  those  dandies  from 
Madrid. 

[Laughing  again  immoderately.] 
NANDO.    That's  it  —  a  dandy ! 

[All  shout  "A  dandy!    A  dandy  I"] 
ANTONIA  [to  MANELICH].     Go  on  and  be  a  dandy. 
MANELICH  [laughing] .     Yes,  a  dandy !     [Becoming 
serious.]     But    what    is    a    dandy?     [To    PELUCA.] 
What  do  you  mean,  eh?     [Rushes  at  him  in  a  rage.] 
Tell  me!     [The  women  scream.     The  men  separate 
them.]     What  am  I?     Tell  me! 

NANDO.     Why,  man  —  I  don't  know. 
[30] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MOSEN.  Don't  get  mad  Manelich.  Dandy 
means  a  swell. 

MANELICH  [releasing  PELUCA].  Oh,  well,  that's 
another  thing.  Why  didn't  you  say  so?  [Becom- 
ing angry  again.]  But  what  is  a  swell,  eh?  [All 
laugh.}  I'll  break  every  bone  in  you,  if  you  don't 
tell  me.  [He  rushes  at  them;  they  all  recede.} 

SEBASTIAN.     Manelich ! 

MARTA  [aside}.     They're  afraid  of  him,  too! 

MANELICH.     Well,  didn't  they  make  me  mad? 

SEBASTIAN.  That  will  do !  Your  wedding  clothes 
are  in  that  room.  [Pointing  to  shed  on  right.} 

MOSEN.     Yes,  they're  in  there. 

MANELICH  [good-naturedly}.  All  right.  I'll  put 
'em  on.  I'm  not  mad!  Nothin'  could  make  me 
mad  to-day ! 

[He  goes  out,  followed  by  all  the  other  men  save 
TOMAS  and  MOSEN.] 

PEPA  [to  the  other  women}.  Let's  go  and  look  in 
the  window. 

ANTONIA  [and  the  other  women}.  Come  on!  come 
on.  [  They  go  out. 

[MARTA  sinks  into  chair  by  table.} 
TOMAS.     Sebastian,  I  must  speak  with  you. 
[311 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.  Wait  for  me  outside.  I'll  be  there 
in  a  moment. 

TOMAS.     I'll  wait  for  you.  [He  goes  out. 

SEBASTIAN  [to  MOSEN].  Keep  him  away  from  me, 
and  see  that  all  is  ready  at  the  inn  when  they  arrive; 
have  them  married  at  once,  without  waiting  for  me. 
Better  so. 

MOSEN.  Morrucho  has  blabbed  everything  to 
Tomas. 

SEBASTIAN.  Send  Morrucho  away.  Listen!  Marta 
is  to  think  that  Manelich  knows  all  and  that  he  con- 
sents. She  will  despise  him  the  more. 

MOSEN.    Never  fear! 

SEBASTIAN.  Now  leave  me  alone  with  her.  [Ad- 
dressing MARTA.]  Marta! 

MARTA  [starting  up].  Sebastian!  I  will  not  marry 
that  man! 

SEBASTIAN.     You  don't  like  him,  eh? 

MARTA.    No! 

SEBASTIAN.  Ah!  You  wanted  a  husband  to  rock 
you  to  sleep  at  night!  You  said  to  yourself,  "New 
year  —  new  fortune!"  You  were  ready  to  forget 
me  —  and  everything!  You've  forgotten  how  I 
picked  you  up  out  of  the  rain,  like  a  frog  in  a  ditch. 
Vou  don't  love  me,  Marta. 
[32] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MABTA  [receding  in  fright].  Sebastian!  For  God's 
sake  don't  make  me  many  that  man!  I  beg  you, 
by  the  soul  of 

SEBASTIAN.  Leave  the  dead  in  peace!  So  he 
disgusts  you,  does  he? 

MARTA.     Yes,  yes 

SEBASTIAN.  Why,  that's  what  I  want !  You  don't 
know  how  glad  I  am  to  hear  you  say  it!  Do  you 
think,  if  he  pleased  you,  I'd  let  you  marry  him? 
Not  if  it  cost  me  my  farms;  not  if  it  cost  me  my  life! 

MARTA.  Holy  Virgin!  Can  it  be  there  is  a  man 
who,  knowing  what  I  am,  wishes  to  marry  me?  Oh, 
it  is  shameful  —  for  him  —  and  for  you  —  and  for 
me  —  and  for  everybody ! 

SEBASTIAN.  Well,  here  you  have  him?  I've 
found  the  man! 

MARTA.  I  was  a  child  when  you  knew  me.  I'm 
not  what  I  am  for  money;  you  know  I'm  not.  You 
didn't  buy  me,  but  you  are  buying  him  —  at  what 
price  I  don't  know  —  but  you  are  buying  him. 

SEBASTIAN.  Not  for  money,  Marta  —  no !  I 
give  him  the  mill  and  —  well,  he'll  never  die  of  hun- 
ger. But  you're  not  to  let  on  you  know.  You 
understand? 

[Laughter  is  heard  outside.] 
[331 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.  I  will  not  marry  him!  I'll  run  away; 
I'll  drown  myself  in  the  pond. 

SEBASTIAN.  You'll  not  run  away,  nor  you'll  not 
drown  yourself. in  the  pond,  nor  you'll  not  leave  me! 
Because  I  love  you  —  in  my  way,  bad  it  may  be  — 
Out  I  love  you,  and  I  don't  want  you  to  leave  off 
loving  me!  I'll  never  give  you  up!  I'll  be  torn  to 
pieces  first!  [Changing  tone  and  speaking  quickly.] 
You  know  how  it  is,  as  well  as  I  do  —  that  I  am 
ruined  —  that  I  must  marry  that  woman  to  save  my 
farms.  Another  thing:  when  you  and  Manelich  are 
married,  my  uncle  will  break  his  will,  in  which  he 
disinherited  me.  We  must  be  crafty,  you  and  I,  and 
fool  them  all.  They  are  all  worse  than  we  are  — 
worse  than  I!  Because  I,  bad  as  I  am,  know  how 
to  love;  and  I'll  love  you  till  I  die!  And  I'll  die 
before  I'll  give  you  up ! 

MARTA.  Sebastian!  Don't  force  me  to  marry! 
I'll  go  away  —  and  you'll  be  free  —  without 
lying  and  without  shame.  It  is  God's  will,  Sebas- 
tian! 

SEBASTIAN.     Lose  you?     [He  catches  her  roughly 

by  the  arm.]     No!     Not  if  the  farms  are  lost,  and  we 

are  lost!     You'll  stay  here,  and  you'll  marry  that 

beast,  and  you'll  obey  me  for  love  or  fear,  it  matters 

[34] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


not!  You'll  rebel  after  all  these  years?  Answer! 
Will  you  obey? 

MARTA.     Sebastian!     Sebastian! 

SEBASTIAN  [he  grips  her  arm].  Will  you  obey? 
Answer ! 

MARTA.     Sebastian!     You  hurt  me! 

SEBASTIAN.  Will  you  obey,  I  say?  You  don't 
know  me  yet!  Answer  me! 

MARTA.  Let  me  go!  You  hurt  me  —  I  will  obey 
—  yes,  I  will  obey ! 

SEBASTIAN  [releasing  her].     Yes,  you  will  obey! 

NANDO  comes  in. 

NANDO.  He  doesn't  want  to  put  on  his  wedding 
clothes. 

JOSE  enters. 

JOSE.     He  doesn't  want  to  be  a  dandy. 
MANELICH  and  the  other  men  come  in. 

MANELICH.  No,  I  don't!  They  will  laugh  at  me! 
Besides,  I  don't  want  to  leave  off  my  sheepskins.  [To 
the  crowd  who  have  entered  and  are  jostling  him.]  Here, 
keep  off!  You  huddle  worse  than  the  sheep  in  a 
storm! 

[351 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.  Well,  as  you  like  then!  Marta! 
Let  us  go!  [MARTA  hesitates.]  Marta! 

MARTA  [aside  to  SEBASTIAN].  Yes,  let  us  go;  but 
all  is  over  between  us. 

SEBASTIAN  [sneering].    All  is  over,  eh? 

NANDO.  As  soon  as  they  are  married  we'll  ring 
the  bells. 

NURI  [offering  mantilla  to  MARTA].  Here's  your 
mantilla,  Marta. 

MARTA.     Oh,  Nuri  —  Nuri ! 

NURI.  You  do  love  me,  don't  you?  [She  em- 
braces MARTA.] 

MARTA.  Let  me  look  at  you !  Give  me  a  kiss  — 
no!  [Pushing  her  from  her.]  Leave  me! 

SEBASTIAN.     To  the  inn,  everybody! 

TOMAS  [in  a  low  voice  to  SEBASTIAN,  while  the  others 
are  going  out].  No!  They  must  not  be  married  till 
I  speak  with  you. 

SEBASTIAN.  Let  them  go.  They  will  wait  till  I 
come. 

MOSEN  [aside  to  SEBASTIAN].     How  shall  we  fix  it? 

SEBASTIAN  [in  low  voice].  Go  with  them,  and  let 
them  be  married  at  once.  I'll  attend  to  him. 

MANELICH  [following  others  out].  Hupa!  Hupa! 
There  go  the  sheep!  Hupa!  There  go  the  goats J 
[36] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


All  go  out  laughing  and  shouting.     MORRUCHO 
and  TOMAS  remain  with  SEBASTIAN. 

SEBASTIAN  [to  MORRUCHO].     Why  are  you  not  at 
the  wedding? 

MORRUCHO  [sullenly].     Because  I'm  not  goin'. 

SEBASTIAN.     Why? 

MORRUCHO.     Because  I'm  not. 

SEBASTIAN.  Well,  then,  take  your  traps,  and  be 
off  with  you. 

MORRUCHO.     That's  what  I'm  goin'  to  do. 

SEBASTIAN.     And  be  quick  about  it! 

MORRUCHO.     I'll  not  be  long! 

[He  goes  in  door  on  right. 

SEBASTIAN  [to  TOMAS].     What  have  you  to  say? 

TOMAS  [tremblingly].  I  don't  know  —  I  don't 
know  — 

SEBASTIAN.     Well,  when  you  do,  tell  me. 

TOMAS.  They  say  —  I  don't  want  to  offend  you, 
Sebastian,  but  there's  no  time  to  lose  —  they  say 
you  and  Marta  love  each  other,  but  in  a  bad  way; 
and  this  poor  boy  —  there !  I  can't  believe  it  —  and 
in  this  marriage  I'm  takin'  the  place  of  a  father  to 
him.  I  —  I'm  not  myself  —  don't  be  offended,  son 
—  tell  me  the  truth ! 

[37] 


MARTA  OP  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.     Why,  the  truth  is  —  it's  all  a  lie! 

TOMAS  [triumphantly].  There!  I  said  so!  [MoR- 
RUCHO  has  come  in  with  bundle  and  zarape  over  his 
shoulder.]  Do  you  hear,  evil  tongue? 

MORRUCHO  [fiercely].     I  told  you  the  truth! 

SEBASTIAN.  Out  of  here!  Never  let  me  see  you 
again ! 

TOMAS.  Scamp !  After  eatin'  the  master's  bread 
all  these  years ! 

MORRUCHO.     Don't  you  call  me  a  scamp! 

SEBASTIAN  [threateningly].  Get  out  of  here  —  if 
you  don't 

MORRUCHO  [squaring  off].     And  what  if  I  don't? 

TOMAS.     What  —  to  the  master? 

MORRUCHO.  He  ain't  my  master,  and  I  wish  he 
never  had  been. 

SEBASTIAN.     Be  off  with  you,  you  cur! 

MORRUCHO  [throwing  aside  bundle  and  zarape]. 
You  call  me  a  cur?  I  did  tell  Tomas  —  but  I  didn't 
tell  him  all!  You  come  here  at  night,  after  dark, 
by  the  corral  gate.  You  creep  through  the  corridor, 
back  of  that  curtain.  I've  seen  you. 

[SEBASTIAN  attempts  to  strike  him,  but  is  pre- 
vented by  TOMAS.] 

SEBASTIAN.     Let  me  go! 
[38] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MORRUCHO.  May  God  strike  me  dead  if  I'm 
lyin' !  And  if  He  doesn't,  let  him  —  [pointing  to 
SEBASTIAN]  —  take  oath  that  I'm  lyin' !  Let's  see 
if  he  will ! 

SEBASTIAN.     Come,  Tomas!    Leave  this  fool! 

MORRUCHO.  You  see!  I  told  you  the  truth.  [He 
"ecovers  his  bundle  and  zarape.] 

MOSEN  comes  in. 

MOSEN  [to  TOMAS] .  Well!  What  are  you  doing 
here?  Your  wife  has  had  all  the  candles  to  light. 

TOMAS  [excitedly].  No  —  no  —  they  must  not  be 
married  — 

SEBASTIAN  [aside  to  MOSEN].  Tomas  is  not  to 
leave  this  place.  Do  you  understand?  [He  goes  out. 

TOMAS.  No,  no  —  they  must  not  be  married ! 
[He  attempts  to  follow  SEBASTIAN.] 

MOSEN  [detaining  him].     Where  are  you  going? 

TOMAS.     I'm  goin'  to  stop  the  marriage! 

MORRUCHO.  Hurry  then.  [To  MOSEN].  Let  the 
old  man  go! 

TOMAS.     O  God!     Poor  Manelich!     They  must 
not  be  married !    [The  bells  begin  ringing].    The  bells! 
It  is  too  late !     My  God !     What  have  I  done  to  that 
poor  boy?     O  God!  forgive  me! 
[39] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MORRUCHO.     Good-bye,  Tomas! 
TOMAS.     Good-bye,  son!     [Holds  out  his  arms  to 
MORRUCHO.] 

MORRUCHO  [embracing   him].     Forgive   the   hard 
words  I've  said.     Good-bye! 

[MORRUCHO  goes  out;  TOMAS  sinks  into  a  chair; 
MOSEN  goes  to  entrance;  noise  is  heard  of 
people  approaching.] 

TOMAS.     I  feel  as  though  there  was  a  rope  about 
my  neck!     My  head  is  on  fire! 

[He  rises  and  wildly  rushes  out.     Voices  are 
heard,   coming   nearer   and   nearer,   crying, 
"Long  live  the  bridegroom !    Long  live  the 
bride!"    All  enter  noisily;  MARTA  first,  with 
her  eyes  on  the  ground;  NURI,  with  her  arm 
about  MARTA'S  waist;  MANELICH  in  the  midst 
of  the  men,  who  are  poking  fun  at  him.} 
MOSEN.     That  will  do  now!    To  your  homes,  all 
of  you ! 

MANELICH.     They're  like  the  herd  for  all  the  world 
—  goats  here,  goats  there.     If  I  only  had  my  sling! 

[All  go  out  except  MANELICH  and  MARTA.] 
MOSEN  [the  last  to  leave].     Now  close  your  door, 
and  good  night  to  you! 

[MARTA  sinks  into  a  chair.] 
[40] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH  [looking  after  the  crowd].  If  I  had  my 
sling  and  a  good  rock,  I'd  fix  those  cattle!  [He  turns 
suddenly.]  Marta! 

MARTA  [coming  to  herself].  What  is  it?  What  do 
you  want? 

MANELICH.     He  said  close  the  door  —  shall  I? 

MARTA.  Close  it.  [She  rises  and  begins  fixing  the 
dishes  on  the  table.]  All  is  over  ! 

MANELJCH.  Ho!  Hum!  Maybe  I'm  not  tired! 
I'd  rather  have  a  thunder  storm  in  the  mountains 
than  all  this  noise !  I  couldn't  stand  it  long!  Ah  — 
[stretching  himself]  —  now  to  rest  my  bones  as  I  do 
up  there!  [He  throws  himself  on  the  ground.]  Come, 
sit  here  beside  me.  There  are  no  chairs  up  there 
—  we  don't  need  them  —  these  sticks  —  [pointing  to 
chairs]  —  eh,  Marta? 

MARTA.    What? 

MANELICH.     Come  here! 

MARTA.     No!    Leave  me  alone! 

MANELICH  [aside].  Wild!  [To  MARTA.]  All  right. 
If  you  act  that  way  I  won't  tell  you  some  thing! 
[Laughing  sheepishly.]  I've  forgotten  it  already. 
When  a  fellow  is  happy  I  believe  it  makes  him  more 
of  a  muttonhead  than  ever.  [He  gets  up  and  searches 
his  pockets,  then  his  breast,  and  finally  takes  out  a 
[41] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


kerchief  tied  by  the  corners.]  We'll  see!  We'll  see! 
It's  heavy !  She  didn't  expect  this !  [Aloud.]  Marta ! 

MARTA.     Oh  —  again?     Let  me  alone! 

MANELICH  [aside].  She's  the  wildest  thing  I  ever 
had  to  do  with.  [Spreads  out  the  handkerchief  on  the 
table.]  Look!  Do  you  see  this?  [He  takes  up  a 
quarter.]  It's  a  peseta!  [Throws  it  back  in  the  hand- 
kerchief.] The  first  one  I  ever  earned.  I've  always 
kept  it  to  see  if  it  would  grow.  And  look  —  look  — 
it  has  grown !  [Handling  the  silver  and  copper  coins.] 
Up  there  when  I  counted  them  they  sounded  different! 
I  like  the  way  they  sound  now !  It  must  be  because 
you're  here!  Well!  Well!  [Picks  up  a  dollar.] 
See  this  dollar?  See  this  stain?  It's  blood  —  my 
blood !  The  master  gave  it  to  me  —  Master  Sebas- 
tian —  God  bless  him !  Touch  it!  Touch  it!  [He 
catches  her  hand  to  make  her  touch  the  coin;  she  resists, 
but  without  aversion.] 

MARTA.     Will  you  be  quiet? 

MANELICH.  Well?  I'll  kiss  it!  [He  kisses  the 
dollar  and  throws  it  back  in  the  handkerchief.]  Up 
there,  every  night,  a  wolf  would  come  to  the  fold; 
and  every  mornin'  —  a  dog,  paws  up,  with  his  en- 
trails torn  out  —  and  a  sheep  or  a  lamb  missin' ;  and 
I  cursin'  myself!  Till  one  night  I  went  and  hid 
[42] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


behind  the  rocks  by  the  barranca  and  waited.  The 
cart  in  the  heavens  —  you  know  what  it  is?  The 
cart  in  the  heavens  are  seven  stars,  that  keep  goin' 
round  and  round,  like  the  wheels  of  a  cart.  Well, 
the  cart  in  the  heavens  turned  round  to  twelve,  and 
then  to  one,  and  I  listenin'  —  nothin' !  The  sheep 
bells  —  the  snow  water  drippin'  —  the  cold  mornin' 
wind  in  the  trees !  The  seven  stars  kept  on  turnin', 
round  and  round,  till  I  could  almost  hear  the  axle 
creak.  Ah*  at  once  I  heard  a  noise  —  a  tread  —  and 
somethin'  big  and  dark  sprang  over  me  —  like  that. 
I  felt  hot  breath  on  my  neck.  My  hair  stood  on  end, 
and  here,  in  my  breast,  my  heart  went  pum  —  pum 
-  pum  —  so !  till  it  choked  me.  Then  I  heard  the 
dogs,  and  the  bleatin'  of  the  sheep,  and  with  my 
arms  bare,  with  my  knife  in  my  hand,  and  my  breast 
bare,  I  ran  and  stood  where  I  knew  the  wolf  must 
come.  He  came,  draggin'  the  sheep,  right  against 
me.  I  made  a  grab  at  him  —  drove  the  knife  in  to 
the  hilt  —  and  together  we  rolled  into  the  barranca; 
I  bitin'  the  wolf,  the  wolf  bitin'  me;  he  howlin',  I 
howlin'  louder  yet;  my  face  against  his  face,  my 
teeth  against  his  teeth  —  [He  pauses  suddenly, 
then  says  in  a  placid  tone.]  That's  how  I  got  this 
scar.  [Pointing  to  his  lip.] 
[431 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MART  A  [moved  and  interested].  And  what  — 
what 

MANELJCH.  Nothin'!  The  next  day  some  shep- 
herds found  us  in  the  barranca:  the  sheep  —  dead; 
the  wolf  —  dead;  and  I  —  half  dead,  and  covered 
with  bites  and  scratches.  They  took  me  to  the  hut, 
and  rubbed  me  with  tallow  and  snow  water;  and  in  a 
few  days  the  master  came  up  and  gave  me  this 
dollar.  As  I  went  quick,  to  kiss  his  hand,  the  wound 
opened  again;  and  that's  how  the  blood  came  on  the 
dollar.  Master  Sebastian  promised  me  a  dollar  for 
every  wolf  I  killed;  but  since  then  I  haven't  killed  a 
single  one.  [This  last  with  much  tranquillity.] 

MARTA  [recovering  herself].  Manelich,  it  is  very 
late! 

MANELICH  [picking  up  handkerchief  and  offering  it 
to  her].  Well,  take  this  —  there  are  twenty-four 
dollars  —  you  take  care  of  them! 

MARTA.  No  —  no  —  they  are  yours !  Take  them 
to  your  room! 

MANELICH.  To  my  room?  To  ours,  you  mean 
—  there! 

MARTA.  Light  your  candle,  and  go  —  go  to  your 
room.  [Pointing  to  shed  at  right].  And  good  night! 

MANELICH.    This  my  room?    And  that  yours? 
[44] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MART  A.  You  know  very  well  —  you  wicked  man 
—  why  do  you  make  me  repeat  it?  Go  —  you 
wicked  man  —  go ! 

MANELICH.  I,  a  wicked  man?  Why  am  I  wicked? 
Why?  Tell  me!  Tell  me!  I  want  you  to  tell  me! 

MARTA.     You  know  why ! 

MANELICH.     I  know  why? 

MARTA.     Yes  —  because  you  consented ! 

MANELICH.     Consented  —  to  what? 

MARTA.     To  marry  me! 

MANELICH.     Oh,  that  —  yes! 

MARTA.     And  why  did  you  consent? 

MANELICH.  To  what?  That  you  should  be  my 
wife?  Why,  because  I  loved  you!  Because  I  loved 
you  more  than  anything  in  the  world  —  more  than 
my  father  —  more  than  my  mother  —  more! 

MARTA  [she  is  aghast  with  surprise  and  horror]. 
Manelich! 

MANELICH.  What  makes  you  look  at  me  so?  It 
seems  —  it  seems  almost  —  you're  not  my  wife ! 

MARTA.     Manelich ! 

MANELICH  [wildly].     I  must  be  dreamin'. 

MARTA  [aside].  Oh!  my  God!  They  have  de- 
ceived me  —  and  they  have  deceived  this  poor  man! 

MANELICH  .     Marta ! 

[45] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.     Leave  me!     Leave  me! 

MANELICH.  You  have  said  such  things!  I  don't 
understand ! 

MARTA.  No  —  no!  I've  said  nothing!  It's  —  it's 
because  I'm  half  mad  —  it's  because  I  don't  know 
what  they've  done  with  me! 

MANELICH.  What  they've  done  with  you?  [As 
he  says  this  a  light  passes  back  of  the  curtain.] 

MARTA  [starting  in  horror,  and  speaking  in  an  aside]. 
Sebastian!  Oh,  wretch! 

MANELICH.  What  is  that?  Alight?  Are  we  not 
alone?  Who's  in  there? 

MARTA.     No  one! 

MANELICH  [grasping  his  knife].    Well,  I'll  see! 

MARTA  [interposing  betiveen  him  and  door].  No! 
The  light  was  there  —  leave  it  alone ! 

MANELICH.  No!  I  say  no!  [Light  disappears.] 
You  see?  They  have  put  it  out! 

MARTA.  Oh,  I  guess  there  was  no  light!  You  — 
you  only  thought  you  saw  one! 

MANELICH.  Why,  didn't  you  just  say  the  light 
was  there?  Yes,  and  I  saw  it!  And  you  —  you  saw 
it,  too! 

MARTA.     I  didn't  see  it!    You  said  you  saw  it ! 

MANELICH.     You  didn't  see  a  light? 
[461 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.    No !    No ! 

MANELICH.    You  didn't  see  it? 

MARTA.     No,  nor  you,  either! 

MANELICH.  No !  [He  stands  motionless,  regarding 
MARTA.]  I  didn't  see  a  light?  I  didn't  see  a  light? 

MARTA  [seating  herself  and  speaking  in  an  aside]. 
I  must  pass  the  night  here  —  alone !  [  To  MANELICH, 
pointing  to  the  door  on  right.]  You  heard  what  I  told 
you! 

MANELICH.  Yes,  yes  —  I  know  —  you  needn't 
tell  me  again  —  I  —  inside  there  —  but  not  yet ! 
Not  yet!  [He  sinks  slowly  to  the  ground,  his  eyes 
riveted  on  the  curtain.] 

MARTA  [aside].  The  wretch!  He  has  always 
been  a  wretch!  [MANELICH  is  edging  along  the 
ground  toward  MARTA.]  This  poor  creature  thinks 
I  don't  hear  him!  [MANELICH  softly  takes  up  the 
hem  of  MARTA'S  gown  and  presses  it  to  his 
lips.] 

MANELICH  [sobbing].     Here  —  close  beside  her  — 
but  not  as  her  husband  —  no  —  as  if  I  was  alone  — 
up  there  in  my  hut  in  the  mountains  —  I  must  say 
the  prayer  —  for  my  father  and  my  mother  —    —  and 
my  wife  —  no  —  because  —  I  have  my  wife  —  I  have 
my  wife  —          [He  folds  his  hands,  closes  his  eyes  and 
[471 


MABTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


lifts  his  face  to  Heaven.]  Our  Father [He 

breaks  down  sobbing.] 

MARTA  [aside] .    O  God ! 

MANELICH  [looking  around  stealthily,  knife  in  hand]. 
All  is  asleep  in  the  fold!  No  —  the  wolf  will  not 
come  —  not  come  —  not  come ! 


ACT  H 


ACT  II 

SCENE:     The  same  as  in  Act  I.     Several  days  have 

elapsed. 
TIME:     Early  forenoon.     MANELICH   is  discovered 

seated,  and  Num  is  knitting  the  same  jacket. 

MANELICH  [in  depressed  tone].  Why  didn't  you 
come  yesterday,  Nuri? 

Num.  It  was  all  the  fault  of  the  turkeys.  You 
know  I  have  to  take  'em  out  in  the  mornin'  and  in 
the  afternoon,  too.  But  to-day  the  sun  burned  so,  I 
shut  'em  up  in  the  corral  and  came  to  see  Manelich 
instead. 

MANELICH.     You're  a  good  child,  Nuri. 

Num.  Oh, dear!  I'm  so  worried!  [She  gets  up 
and  looks  anxiously  toward  the  door.] 

MANELICH.     What  about? 

NURI.     I'm  so  afraid  Marta  will  come!     She  used 

to  love  me,  Marta  did.     She  used  to  kiss  me,  and  say 

she  wished  she  was  like  me.     But  since  she  married 

you,  she  hates  me !    She  looks  at  me  —  so  —  [look- 

[51] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


ing  fiercely]  —  as  though  she  would  eat  me  up.  I 
don't  hate  her,  because  I  know  she  loves  you. 

MANELICH.     Loves  me? 

Num.  Why,  of  course!  [MANELICH  rises  and 
begins  walking  up  and  down.]  What's  the  matter? 

MANELICH  [seating  himself].     Nothin'! 

NURI.  I  say  she  hates  me,  because  she  hates 
everybody  at  our  house.  Do  you  know,  she  called 
Mosen,  and  told  him  —  I  don't  know  what  —  and 
Mosen,  who  is  the  majordomo,  came  to  our  house 
and  threatened  everybody  and  said  they  were  not  to 
come  to  the  mill  backbitin'  people;  that  no  one  had 
any  business  about  the  mill,  unless  they  brought 
wheat  to  be  ground. 

MANELICH.  You  say  they  were  backbitin'  some- 
body? 

Num.     That's  what  Mosen  said. 

MANELICH.     What  about? 

Num.  I  don't  know.  The  folks  at  home  are 
always  the  same.  They  talk  about  everybody. 

MANELICH.  What  a  good  little  thing  you  are, 
Nuri! 

Num  [very  contented  and  smiling].  You  don't 
know  what  I'm  thinkin'  about! 

MANELICH.  What  do  your  sisters  say  about  me? 
[52] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NURI  [ignoring  question],  I  was  thinkin'  I  would 
make  you  a  jacket,  when  I  finish  this  one,  but  not 
this  colour;  it  must  be  blue  and  pink;  you'll  look  so 
nice  in  it ! 

MANEUCH.     No,  don't  make  me  the  jacket,  Nuri 
-  thank  you  just  the  same,  but  don't  make  me  the 
jacket. 

NURI.     Why  not? 

MANELICH.  Because  by  the  time  you  finish  the 
jacket,  God  only  knows  —  there  —  don't  make  it, 
Nuri,  don't  make  it. 

NURI  [rising].     Well,  I'm  angry,  and  I'm  goin'. 

MANELICH  [forcing  her  back  into  her  seat].  Don't 
go,  Nuri. 

NURI.    Well,  I'll  stay,  but  I'm  angry  just  the  same. 

MANELICH  [sits  at  table  supporting  his  head  with 
his  hands].  That  light,  back  of  the  curtain,  a  man 
was  carryin'  it!  What  I  want  to  know  is  who  he 
was.  I'll  kill  him  —  and  go  back  up  there. 

NURI.     Manelich,  I'm  still  angry. 

MANELICH.     Yes,  Nuri,  yes;  poor  little  thing! 

NURI.     Are  you  sad,  Manelich? 

MANELICH.     No. 

NURI.  I  know  why.  Because  you're  married  to 
a  cross  woman. 

[53] 


MANELICH.     Do  they  say  Marta  is  cross? 

NURI.  I  don't  know.  They  talk,  and  talk,  and 
never  stop  talkin'.  You  know  why  I  like  you? 
Well,  in  the  first  place,  because  you  tell  me  those  nice 
stories  about  wolves  and  witches,  that  make  me  so 
afraid,  and  are  so  beautiful.  And  in  the  second 
place,  because  everybody  says,  "Poor  Manelich!" 
Then  I  say,  "Poor  Manelich,  I'm  goin'  to  make  him 
a  jacket!" 

MANELICH.  Poor  Manelich!  So  they  all  know 
it!  What  else?  What  else? 

NURI.  Why  yesterday,  when  I  was  comin'  from 
mass,  a  lot  of  them  were  talkin'  about  you,  and  I 
walked  by  close,  pretendin'  not  to  notice  them. 

MANELICH.     And  what  were  they  sayin'? 

Num.     Poor  Manelich  —  just  as  they  always  do. 

MANELICH  [in  desperation].  Oh,  when  will  the 
master  come,  so  I  can  tell  him  everything? 

Num.  Manelich,  do  you  believe  the  world  is  very 
wicked? 

MANELICH.  In  the  lowlands,  yes !  Up  there,  no! 
It  may  be  because  there  are  no  men  up  there;  perhaps 
that's  the  reason. 

NURI.     Poor  Manelich ! 

MANELICH  [wildly].    You,  too! 
[541 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NUEI.  It's  because  I'm  sorry !  Manelich,  haven't 
you  any  brothers? 

MANELJCH.  No!  I'm  all  alone;  and  it  seems  I'm 
one  too  many! 

NUM.  Do  you  wish  you  had  a  little  brother,  just 
as  big  as  I  am? 

MANELICH  [caressing  her].     Poor  little  Nuri! 

MARTA  comes  from  within. 

NURI  [to  MANELICH].     Marta!    I  must  go! 

MANELICH.     Don't  move! 

MARTA  [aside],  Nuri!  She  is  always  with  him! 
If  he  were  really  suffering,  he  wouldn't  feel  like  talk- 
ing to  her.  [She  goes  to  fireplace,  fans  the  flame,  and 
places  an  earthen  jar  on  the  fire.]  The  fire  won't  burn 
to-day!  It  seems  to  act  so  on  purpose!  What  are 
they  talking  about?  They  don't  even  look  at  me! 
Why  should  they?  [Fiercely.]  I  don't  want  him  to 
talk  to  Nuri!  [Dejectedly.]  But  what  right  have  I 
to  say  what  he  shall  do?  [She  goes  within. 

NURI.  She's  gone !  Well,  we  were  quiet,  both  of 
us! 

MANELICH.     And  why  were  you  quiet,  Nuri? 

NURI.  Because  I  was  countin'  stitches.  Why 
were  you  quiet? 

[55] 


MARTA  OP  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH.     Because  I  was  countin'  days. 

Num.     Do  you  love  Marta  very  much? 

MANELICH.  More  than  anything  else  in  the 
world.  I  can't  tell  you  how  much,  Nuri !  There  — 
it  seems  to  me  I  loved  her  long  before  I  saw  her. 
And  when  at  last  I  saw  her,  I  felt  like  sayin',  "You 
knew  well  how  to  make  me  long  for  you!  It's  time 
you  came!"  You  see?  Such  foolery!  Bah!  If  I 
told  you  all 

Num.  Tell  me,  tell  me,  Manelich  —  I  love  to 
hear  about  it! 

MANELICH.  If  you  knew  how  many  times  when 
I  was  up  there  alone  I've  watched  the  lowlands  — 
lookin'  for  somethin' !  The  sun  shinin'  over  all  — 
the  hills,  the  fields  —  as  far  as  I  could  see,  and  I 
wonderin',  "At  what  spot,  in  all  the  lowlands,  is  my 
future  wife?"  You'll  never  guess  how  I  found  out 
where  she  was !  No !  You'll  never  guess ! 

NURI.     No,  Manelich,  no!     How  did  you? 

MANELICH.  I  put  a  stone  in  the  sling,  swung  it 
round  three  times,  with  my  eyes  shut,  and  threw  it 
as  hard  as  I  could.  Then  I  opened  my  eyes,  quick, 
to  see  where  it  came  down,  and  there,  where  it  fell, 
was  my  wife,  growin'  up  like  an  armful  of  roses  — 

for  me,  for  me 

156] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


Num.     And  where  did  it  fall? 

MANELICH.     Toward  the  lowlands;  never  toward 
the  mountain.     And  from  the  lowlands  came  Marta 
—  from  the  lowlands!     [He  bows  his  head  in  his 
hands.] 

NURI.  Don't  cry,  Manelich!  You'll  make  me 
cry,  too.  [She  brightens  quickly.]  But  suppose  some 
one  had  been  comin'  up  the  mountain  when  you 
were  throwin'  the  stone  with  your  eyes  shut,  and  it 
had  struck  him ! 

MANELICH.  It  never  struck  any  one  but  me;  it 
struck  me  here.  [Placing  his  hand  on  his  heart.] 

Num.     Does  your  heart  ache?     Why? 

MANELICH.  Because  —  I  know  what  I  know.  I 
may  be  a  fool,  blind  to  the  things  of  the  world,  but 
sometimes  the  blind  see.  There  was  a  blind  man  — 
and  he  was  stone  blind  —  used  to  come  up  there,  and 
I  would  give  him  milk  from  the  goats.  When  the 
rain  caught  him  and  the  lightin'  flashed,  he  always 
covered  his  eyes  with  his  hands;  so  I  say  that  al- 
though he  was  blind,  the  flash  of  the  lightnin'  has 
made  him  see.  Well,  I'm  like  that  blind  man  —  the 
lightnin'  entered  my  eyes  —  and  I  have  seen. 

MARTA  returns  from  the  house. 
[571 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA  [aside].     Still  here!     [Aloud.]     Nuri! 

NURI  [to  MANELICH,  offering  him  a  handkerchief]. 
Marta!  Take  this  handkerchief  so  she  won't  see 
you're  cryin'! 

MANELICH  [refusing].     I'm  not  cryin'! 

MARTA.  Listen,  Nuri!  I  don't  want  to  see  you 
here  again!  Do  you  hear  me?  I  don't  want  you  to 
come  here! 

NURI.     You  see,  Manelich?     Marta  turns  me  out ! 

MARTA.  I  don't  turn  you  out !  Oh,  I  don't  know 
what's  the  matter  with  me!  [Aside.]  When  they 
talk  to  me,  it  sounds  like  something  pounding  in 
here.  [She  clasps  her  temples  with  her  hands;  she  goes 
to  the  fire,  seats  herself,  and  takes  up  the  fire-fan.] 

NURI  [giving  the  basket  with  jacket,  etc.,  to  MANE- 
LICH]. Hold  this !  I'll  go  fan  the  fire !  Marta  can't 
make  it  burn !  [Approaching  MARTA.]  Give  it  to  me ! 

MARTA.     No! 

NURI.  Give  it  to  me,  Marta;  you  can't  make  it 
burn. 

MARTA  [frantically].     Go!     Go,  I  say! 

NURI  [half  crying].     Why? 

MARTA.     Because  I  don't  want  you  here! 

NURI  [angrily].     Well,  I  won't  go  till  Manelich 
tells  me  to !     I  guess  he's  the  master ! 
[58] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA  [dejectedly].     Yes,  he's  the  master. 

MANELICH.  Nuri!  Do  as  Marta  tells  you!  If 
she  says  go,  you  must  go !  Marta  is  in  her  house. 

MARTA.     No,  Manelich,  no! 

MANELICH  [to  NURI,  giving  her  the  basket].  Take 
this  and  go  —  poor  little  girl ! 

MARTA.     Nuri  —  stay  —  I  don't  want  you  to  go! 

NURI  [crying].     Well,  I'm  goin'  now! 

MANELICH.     Don't  cry,  Nuri.     I'll  go  with  you. 

MARTA.  No!  You  shall  not!  I  want  you  to 
stay  here! 

MANELICH.  You  want  me  to  stay?  Me?  What 
for? 

MARTA.     Do  what  you  like! 

NURI.     She  is  cryin' ! 

MANELICH.     Don't  you  believe  it!     Why,  we're 

as  happy  —  always  laughin'  —  and  always  together 

—  look  —  look  —  how  she's  laughin' !     [MARTA  sobs 

convulsively.]     And  I,  the  same  —  always  laughin'  — 

always  laughin'!     Come  on,  Nuri! 

[Goes  out  with  NURI,  laughing  forcedly. 

MARTA  [alone].     Always  together!     He  said,  al- 
ways together!     And  he  is  waiting  for  Sebastian  to 
come,  so  he  can  tell  him  all,  and  go  back  —  up  there! 
[59] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


Oh,  I  hope  Sebastian  will  never  come!  I  hope  he 
will  stay  away  always!  I  never  loved  him;  and  now 
I  hate  him  with  all  my  heart!  If  he  never  came 
back  —  who  knows  —  perhaps  Manelich  would  for- 
give me!  He  is  so  good!  And  he  does  love  me;  I 
know  he  loves  me!  He  thinks  I  don't  hear  him 
when  he  comes  to  my  door  at  night,  and  kneels  down 
and  cries  —  yes,  cries  —  poor  Manelich !  But  he 
never  speaks  to  me  —  not  a  word  —  he  leaves  me 
for  Nuri!  [Springing  up  in  anger.]  He  shall  not! 
We'll  see!  We'll  see!  [Half -cry  ing,  half -angry,  she 
starts  to  go  out,  but  is  stopped  by  TOMAS,  who  comes 
in  the  door.] 

TOMAS.     Where  are  you  goin',  Marta? 

MARTA.     I  don't  know!     Nowhere! 

TOMAS.  I  saw  Manelich  go  out,  and  that  is  why 
I  came  —  because  he  is  not  here.  I  can't  bear  to 
see  him,  poor  fellow  —  he  is  desperate ! 

MARTA  [on  the  defensive] .  And  why  is  he  desperate  ? 

TOMAS.  Well,  that  is  a  question !  Has  he  no  eyes 
to  see  the  whole  world  laughin'  at  him? 

MARTA.     The  world  is  bad! 

TOMAS.     Bad  —  yes  —  very    bad !     And    now    I 
want  to  know  what  I  shall  say  when  Manelich  asks 
me  why  I  made  the  marriage  between  you. 
[60] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA  [angrily].     How  do  I  know? 

TOMAS.  And  more — what  shall  I  say  when  he  asks 
me  who  the  man  is  —  the  man  —  do  you  understand? 

MARTA  [despairingly].  Oh,  I  don't  know  —  I 
don't  know. 

TOMAS.  Well,  Manelich  has  said  —  and  it's  all 
over  town  —  that  before  he  leaves  you  and  goes 
back  to  the  mountains  he  means  to  find  out  who  the 
man  is  and  kill  him. 

MARTA.  Kill  him?  Did  he  say  that?  But  Se- 
bastian is  no  coward  —  and  besides  he  is  the  master! 
He  would  not  dare  —  no,  he  would  not  dare ! 

TOMAS.  Well,  that's  what  he  says,  and  as  I  told 
you  before,  after  he  has  taken  leave  of  Sebastian  — 
he  does  not  suspect  him  —  he  will  leave  you  and  go 
back  to  the  mountains. 

MARTA.  Leave  me!  That  doesn't  require  much 
courage ! 

TOMAS.     I  tell  him  he  does  well  to  leave  you  — 
to  leave  you  forever  —  do  you  hear?     And  better 
to-day  than  to-morrow!     A  girl  who  does  what  you 
have  done,  deserves  worse  —  yes,  worse! 

MARTA  [piteously].  Oh,  did  you  never  have  a 
daughter? 

TOMAS.     A  daughter?     Yes,  I  had  one.     She  died 
[611 


when  she  was  a  little  thing.  And  when  I  see  what 
the  world  is  —  and  when  I  see  you  —  I  say,  "Better 
dead!"  And  I  thank  God  for  takin'  her. 

MARTA  [drawing  nearer,  and  in  a  significant  tone]. 
And  if  you  had  died  first  —  and  if  she  had  grown 
up  alone  —  always  alone?  And  if  she  had  met 
Sebastian? 

TOMAS  [covering  his  ears].  Stop!  Wicked  girl! 
Stop!  It  was  you  who  ruined  Sebastian! 

MARTA  [weeping],  I  ruined  him!  I!  O  God! 
Have  you  no  pity?  Oh,  I  cannot  bear  it!  Oh,  let 
me  die ! 

TOMAS  [aside  in  wonder].     She's  cryin'! 

MARTA.  Every  one  against  me  —  against  me  — 
because  I'm  alone !  I  never  knew  till  now  how  alone ! 

TOMAS.  There,  don't  cry!  I'm  an  old  fool,  and 
my  eyes  are  weak  —  and  though  you  don't  deserve 
it  —  there  —  if  you  keep  on,  I  shall  cry,  too. 

MARTA.     Oh !     I  want  to  tell  you  all  — 

TOMAS  [snivelling],  I  don't  want  to  hear  it,  for  I 
shall  believe  all  you  say,  and  it  will  all  be  a  lie ! 

MARTA.  A  lie?  Listen,  and  you  will  see  whether 
it  is  a  lie! 

TOMAS.  Well,  tell  me  then,  and  get  through  as 
quick  as  you  can! 

[621 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA  [drying  her  tears  resolutely].  They  say, 
to  make  me  angry,  that  I  never  had  a  father  nor  a 
mother;  that  I  was  born  —  like  the  frogs  that  grow 
out  there  in  the  pond. 

TOMAS.  You  see?  But  I  never  believed  it  — 
never!  No,  I  didn't  believe  that! 

MARTA.  I  did  have  a  mother.  She  was  blind.  I 
never  had  any  one  else,  but  I  did  have  my  mother; 
she  and  I  used  to  beg,  down  there  in  the  city.  I 
remember  we  used  to  sit  on  the  steps  of  a  church, 
with  a  door,  oh,  so  high !  There  we  used  to  sit  and 
beg.  When  did  we  begin?  Who  knows?  Before  I 
was  born,  I  think!  I  never  saw  my  mother  any 
other  way,  except  with  her  hand  out  —  so !  Even 
at  night,  when  she  was  asleep,  she  would  hold  out 
her  hand.  It  used  to  frighten  me!  One  day  we 
were  not  the  only  ones  begging  at  the  church  door. 
A  man  came  and  sat  beside  us,  and  I  thought  he 
couldn't  see,  either.  I  thought  all  people  who  begged 
were  blind.  The  end  of  it  was,  that  man  —  he  had 
a  red  face  and  white  hair  —  came  to  live  with  us. 
Sometimes  he  and  my  mother  would  fight;  some- 
times they  laughed  and  seemed  very  happy.  But 
he  never  struck  me,  nor  he  never  petted  me,  nor 
spoke  a  word  to  me.  So  it  went  on  for  years.  One 
[63] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


morning,  my  mother  did  not  wake  up,  and  the  man 
stood  by  the  bed  and  cried.  I  was  so  surprised.  I 
thought  blind  people  couldn't  cry;  that  if  they  had 
no  eyes  to  see  with,  they  had  none  to  cry  with ! 

TOMAS.     And  was  your  mother  dead? 

MARTA.  Yes,  dead!  And  that  man  would  not 
be  comforted  for  the  death  of  my  mother  —  my  poor 
mother  —  her  eyes  looked  worse  than  ever  as  she 
lay  there  —  dead  —  with  her  hand  out.  It  seemed 
as  though  she  was  going  to  ask  for  something  in  the 
other  world. 

TOMAS  [wiping  his  eyes].  Poor  child!  I  told  you 
I  should  cry !  Go  on,  Marta,  go  on ! 

MARTA.  Well,  you  know,  the  man  took  me  with 
him  —  when  they  went  to  bury  my  mother.  And 
when  we  turned  to  leave  the  grave,  I  don't  know  why, 
I  said  to  him  without  thinking,  "And  what  shall  we 
do  now,  father?"  He  was  crying,  and  he  took  my 
hand  and  said,  "Come  with  me,  my  daughter!" 

TOMAS.     Go  on!  go  on! 

MARTA.  There  isn't  much  more  to  tell.  When 
one  walks  in  the  road  where  all  the  world  goes,  one 
may  walk  slowly;  but  when  one  falls  into  a  barranca, 
one  falls  quickly.  [Changing  tone.]  We  went  back 
to  the  church  door  to  beg  —  and  all  the  time  I  was 
[64] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


growing  —  getting  to  be  a  big  girl.  One  day  I  said, 
"  Father  —  and  if  we  should  try  to  get  work ! "  And 
he  said,  "Yes."  That  he  would  look  for  work  for  us 
both.  But  we  went  on  begging,  till  one  day  we 
heard  they  were  looking  for  all  the  beggars,  to  shut 
them  up  in  a  home;  and  then  we  ran  away,  out  of  the 
city.  We  walked  and  walked,  till  we  came  to  these 
fields;  a  big  storm  came  on,  and  we  took  shelter  in 
Sebastian's  mill;  it  was  full  of  people  —  the  master 
himself  was  there;  they  made  me  sing  and  dance, 
and  the  master  said  I  was  pretty.  Then  he  told  us 
we  might  stay  here,  and  he  gave  us  the  mill ;  he  came 
every  day  and  brought  me  presents;  if  I  ran  away 
from  him  he  was  furious;  he  said  I  was  nothing;  that 
I  was  like  the  frogs  they  find  in  the  pond  after  a  rain; 
and  with  threats  and  caresses,  blows  and  neglect,  I 
came  to  be  what  I  am  without  knowing  —  without 
knowing 

TOMAS.  Poor  child !  Poor  child !  Ah,  Sebastian, 
God  will  never  forgive  you. 

MARTA.  What  could  I  do?  Runaway?  Impos- 
sible! Kill  myself?  It  was  a  sin;  I  was  afraid;  I 
was  only  a  child;  and  then,  besides,  one  is  born  to 
live  —  not  to  die  so  soon!  I'm  bad,  but  I'm  not  all 
bad;  and  I  would  so  like  to  be  good,  if  some  one 
[651 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


would  only  help  me!  Don't  despise  me!  Oh,  if 
Manelich  would  only  help  me  to  be  good !  I  married 
him  because  Sebastian  made  me.  Manelich  dis- 
gusted me  —  then  —  because  I  thought  the  master 
had  bought  him.  And  still,  in  spite  of  all  —  the 
suffering  —  the  disgust  —  when  we  left  the  church 
I  said  to  myself,  without  wanting  to,  that  he  was 
mine,  for  better  or  worse  —  my  husband,  in  the  sight 
of  God;  that  he  belonged  to  me  and  nobody  else.  I 
never  before  had  anything  or  anybody  that  belonged 
to  me  alone. 

TOMAS.     And  if  Sebastian  comes  back?    And  if 


you- 

MARTA  [passionately].  No!  No!  He  must  not 
come  back ! 

TOMAS.     But  if  he  does? 

MARTA.  I  have  Manelich  now.  He  will  defend 
me  —  he  must !  If  he  does  not,  he  is  more  wicked, 
more  cowardly  than  I  am! 

TOMAS.  But  what  if  he  despises  you?  What  if 
he  no  longer  loves  you? 

MARTA.     No,  no,  you  shall  not  say  that !     He  does 

love  me!     I  know  it.     He  may  despise  me,  but  he 

does  love  me !     And  I  —  I  love  him  —  I  love  him  — 

do  you  hear?     I  love  him  —  bad  as  I  am  —  I  can 

[661 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


love  —  no  one  shall  deny  me  that !  I  never  knew 
what  love  meant  till  I  had  Manelich 

TOMAS.     Why  not  tell  Manelich  all,  Marta? 

MARTA.  And  how  does  a  woman  tell  such  things 
to  her  husband? 

TOMAS.     Why,  the  same  as  you've  told  me. 

MARTA.  Ah!  With  you  it  is  different,  but  with 
him  —  with  Manelich  —  oh,  I  cannot;  my  tongue 
would  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth!  Why,  we 
are  hours  together  without  speaking  a  word !  What 
torture ! 

TOMAS.     Poor  girl!  poor  girl! 

MARTA.  Help  me  —  talk  to  me  as  though  I  were 
your  daugh  —  [She  stops  suddenly  and  puts  her 
hand  to  her  lips.] 

TOMAS.  Say  it,  say  it,  as  though  you  were  my 
daughter!  Yes,  I  will  help  you!  You  are  a  good 
girl  —  there  —  a  good  girl;  you  have  always  been 
one  —  yes  —  I  say  you  have;  and  even  if  you  haven't 
—  in  wanting  to  be  good  you  are  good.  There! 
there !  poor  child  —  poor  child !  [He  embraces  her.] 

MARTA  [weeping].     Oh,  Tomas! 

TOMAS  [listening].     Who  is  coming? 

MARTA.  Oh, those  women!  I  don't  want  to  see 
them!  Send  them  away!  But  you  will  come  back? 
[07] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


TOMAS.  Yes,  yes !  Keep  up  your  courage,  Marta, 
we'll  fix  it  all  right. 

MARTA.  Good-bye!  I  don't  want  those  women 
to  see  me.  Good-bye!  [She  goes  within. 

Enter  PEPA  and  ANTONIA. 

PEPA.     Look !    There's  Tomas ! 

ANTONIA.  Why,  what's  the  matter?  He's  been 
cryin' ! 

TOMAS.  It's  the  smoke!  Marta  couldn't  make 
the  fire  burn! 

PEPA.  Come  on  in,  Antonia !  We'll  see  if  they'll 
put  us  out!  Mosen  said  no  one  was  to  come  here 
except  with  wheat  for  the  mill.  It's  the  master's 
orders. 

TOMAS.  Well,  then,  you'd  better  go  before  you're 
driven  out. 

[NANDO  calls  from  outside.] 

NANDO.     Hello  there ! 

PEPA  [laughing].     Come  on  in. 

JOSE  enters  with  half -sack  of  wheat  on  his  back. 
JOSE.     Here's  some  wheat  for  the  mill. 

NANDO  and  PELUCA  come  in  with  sacks  of  wheat. 
[681 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NANDO.  Here  we  are  and  here's  what  we  were 
told  to  bring.  It's  wheat !  That's  why  we  come  to 
the  mill! 

PELUCA.     And  the  mill  is  to  grind  wheat! 

JOSE.  We  had  trouble  enough  to  find  the  wheat, 
though. 

PELUCA  [aside].    This  is  seed! 

JOSE.     Well,  we're  here! 

PELUCA.  But  won't  Manelich  or  Marta  come  out 
even  for  this?  [Nodding  toward  the  wheat.] 

JOSE.  Say,  Tomas!  You  ought  to  know!  How 
is  the  marriage  turnin'  out,  eh? 

PEPA.  Yes!  You  ought  to  know!  Tell  us, 
Tomas! 

OMNES.     Tell  us!    Tell  us! 

TOMAS.    Well,  I'll  tell  you— I'll  tell  you  all  I  know. 
[They  all  cry,  "Yes!   Yes!"] 

TOMAS  [mysteriously].    But  nobody  else  must  hear! 
[All  go  to  look  from  the  different  doors  to  make 
sure  there  are  no  listeners;  they  then  return 
and  surround  him.] 

PEPA.     Well,  begin! 

ANTONIA.     And  tell  everything! 

JOSE.  Yes,  in  cases  like  this,  you  must  tell  every- 
thing! 

[69] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


TOMAS  [relates  the  following  tvith  much  relish].  Well, 
sir,  once  upon  a  time,  St.  Michael  and  the  Devil  had 
a  quarrel;  because  the  devil  said  all  women  were 
gabblers  and  scandal-mongers,  and  St.  Michael  said 
there  must  be  at  least  one  woman  somewhere  who 
was  not.  So  St.  Michael  came  to  the  earth,  to  look 
for  the  woman  who  was  not  a  gabbler,  and  who  was 
not  a  scandal-monger,  and  who  was  not  a  hussy. 

PEPA.     Well,  this  is  nice! 

ANTONIA.     The  old  fool! 

JOSE.     Never  mind,  go  on  —  let's  hear  the  rest! 

TOMAS.  Well,  sir,  St.  Michael  walked  and  walked, 
and  he  didn't  find  the  woman  he  was  lookin'  for. 
And  he  got  so  tired,  he  sat  down  to  rest  in  the  shade 
of  a  hedge  of  honeysuckle.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
hedge  there  were  some  women,  and  they  saw  St. 
Michael  through  the  hedge.  Then  they  began  to 
talk,  and  said  he  must  be  a  drunkard,  he  had  such  a 
red  face ;  and  he  was  surely  a  thief  —  the  very  clothes 
he  wore  must  be  stolen  —  for  he  was  dressed  like  St. 
Michael,  and  must  have  been  robbin'  a  church.  But 
among  them  there  was  one  old  woman  who  said 
nothin'  bad  about  him,  but  just  kept  lookin'  at  him 
and  smilin'  sweetly.  Well,  that  night,  when  the 
poor  old  woman  was  asleep  in  her  bed,  St.  Michael 
[70] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


came  and  caught  her  up,  wrapped  her  in  the  sheet, 
covered  her  gray  head  with  his  wings  of  an  archangel, 
and  carried  her  to  the  gates  of  the  infernal  region. 
There  he  stood  and  shouted  "Demon  of  demons! 
Come  out !  I  bring  you  the  one  woman  in  the  world 
who  is  not  a  gabbler!"  Out  comes  the  Devil,  red  in 
the  face  from  the  terrible  heat  inside,  and  when  he 
sees  the  old  woman  he  laughs,  and  he  laughs,  and  he 
says,  "Why!  She's  been  deaf  and  dumb  ever  since 
she  was  born!"  So,  you  see,  that's  all  I  know  — 
that's  all  —  that's  all.  [He  goes  out  laughing. 

ANTONIA.     He  thinks  he's  smart! 

PEPA.  He  wishes  he  hadn't  had  a  finger  in  the 
marriage,  just  the  same. 

ANTONIA.  We  haven't  done  any  harm,  but  he 
has !  Poor  Manelich ! 

JOSE.     Well,  he  had  the  laugh  on  you  that  time! 

NANDO.     And  a  good  one! 

PELUCA.  He  made  me  laugh,  too!  Imagine  St. 
Michael  carryin'  off  the  old  woman ! 

ANTONIA.     Hush!  here  comes  Manelich! 

MANELICH  enters  and  sits  at  table  without  noticing  them. 

MANELICH.     I  can't  stand  this  any  longer !     The 
master's  comin'  to-day.     I'll  tell  him  all,  and  then  — 
[71] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


I'll  go  back  up  there,  to  die  alone  —  of  grief  and 
rage! 

ANTONIA  [creeping  up  behind  him  and  imitating 
him] .     Hupa !    Hupa ! 

MANELICH  [turning  quickly].     Who's  that? 

JOSE.     Good  morning,  Manelich! 

PEPA.     Good  morning! 

MANELICH.     What  do  you  want? 

PELUCA.     Is  there  enough  water  to  run  the  mill? 

MANELICH.     Water?     Yes,  and  to  spare!     Leave 
your  wheat  in  there! 

[PELUCA  carries  his  wheat  in  shed  and  returns.] 

ANTONIA.     How  cross  you  look,  Manelich! 

MANELICH.     I  look  as  I  always  do. 

JOSE.     He's  not  himself  since  he  left  off  tending 
his  goats! 

PEPA.     Well,  now  he  has  Marta! 

ANTONIA.     But  Marta  doesn't  need  any  one  to 
tend  her  —  she  tends  herself! 
[All  laugh  covertly.] 

MANELICH.     Why  do  you  laugh?  And  why  do  you 
try  to  hide  your  laughin'? 

ANTONIA.     We're  not  laughin' ! 

PEPA.     No,  we're  not  laughin',  Manelich !  [Laughs 
as  she  says  it.] 

[72] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELJCH.  Yes,  you  are  laughin'!  You're  red 
in  the  face,  but  not  from  shame.  No,  you  don't 
know  what  shame  is! 

JOSE  [stepping  forward  in  a  threatening  manner]. 
You  say  that  to  my  sisters? 

MANELICH.     Yes,  to  your  sisters!     What  of  it? 

JOSE  [turning  his  back  calmly  and  walking  away], 
Well,  then,  you  didn't  say  it  to  me! 

NANDO.     That's  so! 

PELUCA.     That's  so! 

MANELICH  [in  a  fury].  Damnation!  Speak  quick, 
all  of  you !  Say  what  you're  laughin'  at,  or  I'll  tear 
you  to  pieces ! 

[They  all  recede  quickly.] 

NANDO.     Manelich ! 

PEPA.     Are  you  crazy? 

ANTONIA.  If  you  want  to  know  you  can  ask 
Morrucho. 

PEPA.     That's  it!     Ask  Morrucho! 

MANELICH.     Morrucho?    You  say  Morrucho? 

PELUCA.     That's  what  we  said! 

PEPA.     Or  if  not,  ask  Marta!     Here  she  is! 

MARTA  comes  from  within. 

MABTA.     What  do  you  want  here? 
[731 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


JOSE.     We  have  some  wheat  to  be  ground. 

MARTA.     The  mill  is  there. 

PEPA.  Oh,  we're  in  no  hurry;  so  we're  just  restin' 
a  while. 

MARTA.  You  can  rest  outside!  You've  no  call 
to  come  in  here! 

[They  go  out,  looking  back  curiously,  and  ex- 
claiming, "Now,  we'll  see!"  "He's  like  a 
crazy  man  ! "  "  Maria's  in  for  it  now ! "] 

MANELICH  [sitting  at  the  table}.  Morrucho!  They 
said  Morrucho!  Then  that  man  was  Morrucho! 

MARTA.  Now  for  dinner  —  and  such  a  dinner! 
Poor  Manelich!  I  can't  bear  to  look  at  him! 

MANELICH.  Morrucho !  That  night  —  I  ought 
to  have  gone  in  there,  and  cut  off  his  head  —  and 
then  hers.  Yes,  hers!  [Pause.]  They  thought  they 
had  nothing  to  fear  from  me.  That's  why  they  mar- 
ried me  to  Marta.  [Pause.]  Well,  then,  I  never 
thought  of  anything  bad.  But  now  —  yes!  Now 
—  yes! 

MARTA.  How  shall  I  make  him  speak?  How? 
I'm  tired  of  seeing  him  always  the  same,  silent  and 
despising  me.  Let  him  beat  me,  drag  me  about  the 
floor,  only  treat  me  as  something  that  belongs  to 
him !  [  Calling .  ]  Manelich ! 
[74] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH  [disregarding  her].  To  hear  her  you'd 
think  she  was  a  child! 

MART  A  [calls  again  in  a  loud  but  sweet  voice]. 
Manelich!  [He  rises.]  Dinner  is  ready! 

MANELICH.  Oh,  dinner!  Yes,  dinner!  [He  takes 
a  knife  and  begins  cutting  the  bread;  MARTA  has  gone 
to  the  fireplace.  Aside.]  It  wouldn't  be  much  to 
cut  off  a  man's  head  —  and  less  hers !  [His  eyes  meet 
MARTA'S  as  she  comes  from  the  fireplace.]  If  she 
wouldn't  look  at  me  —  ah !  [He  throws  down  the 
knife  savagely.] 

MARTA.  Come,  Manelich!  [She  has  brought  an 
iron  pot  from  the  fireplace,  from  which  she  serves  him 
and  then  herself.] 

MANELICH.  Oh,  how  I  used  to  eat  —  up  there! 
Here  every  mouthful  chokes  me! 

MARTA.     God  help  me! 

MANELICH  [eying  her  contemptuously].  Yes!  God 
help  you !  You  —  [He  stops  abruptly.] 

MARTA  [eagerly].  What?  Go  on!  What  were 
you  going  to  say? 

MANELICH  [turning  away].     Nothing!     Nothing! 

MARTA.  Speak  for  once  in  your  life !  I  beg  you 
for- 

MANELICH  [ironically].     For  whom? 
[75] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.     For 


MANELICH.  For  whom?  For  —  him?  [Aside.] 
How  this  woman  disgusts  me!  [Rising  abruptly.] 
Enough  of  this!  I'll  go  back  to  my  mountains! 

MARTA.  No,  Manelich,  no!  Listen  and  forgive 
me! 

MANELICH.  Forgive  you?  I,  forgive  you?  [He 
laughs  wildly.}  Tell  me !  What  have  I  ever  done  to 
you?  Why  should  you  deceive  me?  Speak!  Why 
did  you?  Why,  why  — 

MARTA.  Because  I  was  nothing  —  nobody !  Be- 
cause all  I  knew  was  to  obey!  I  didn't  know  you. 
I  had  never  even  noticed  you.  I  didn't  know  what 
love  meant,  Manelich! 

MANELICH.  Well,  then,  why  did  you  marry  me, 
and  not  that  man?  [With  added  fury.]  Tell  me! 
Tell  me!  Because  I  don't  know,  and  I  want  to  know 
—  and  thinkin'  about  it  is  drivin'  me  mad !  [Run- 
ning toward  her.]  Tell  me!  Why  did  you?  Tell 
me  —  tell  me  — 

MARTA.  Oh,  I  cannot!  You'll  hate  me  more 
than  you  do  now! 

MANELICH.  Hate  you !  Kill  you  is  what  I  ought 
to  do! 

MARTA.     Oh!    Kill  me?    I  wish  you  would! 
[76] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH.  No!  No!  Better  for  me  to  go 
away ! 

MARTA  [wildly  and  with  the  hope  of  detaining  him]. 
Oh,  yes!  You're  going  because  you  don't  dare  to 
talk  out !  You're  afraid !  Coward !  You're  afraid ! 
You're  afraid!  [She  follows  him  in  desperation.] 

MANELICH  [turning].     I,  afraid?    I? 

MARTA  [changing  tone  and  weeping].  Insult  me, 
Manelich!  Beat  me!  But  don't  leave  me!  [She 
falls  on  her  knees  and  tries  to  throw  her  arms  about 
him.] 

MANELICH.  Keep  off!  Let  me  go!  This  place 
is  all  a  pit  of  misery.  [He  frees  himself  and  starts  for 
the  door;  MARTA  falls  forward,  supporting  herself  with 
her  hands  on  the  floor;  she  says  what  follows,  laughing 
and  crying  alternately.] 

MARTA.  Yes,  you  leave  me  for  the  man  I  love! 
I  fooled  you  for  him  —  yes,  for  him;  and  you  — 
you're  not  man  enough  to  beat  me!  [MANELICH 
stops  and  turns.  She  goes  toward  him  on  her  knees. 
Aside.]  He  won't  go!  [In  supplicating  voice.] 
Manelich!  [He  has  hesitated  but  starts  to  go  again; 
she  returns  to  her  former  tone.]  Ah  —  and  I  never 
belonged  to  you  —  I  never  was  yours  —  no  —  never 
was  yours! 

[77] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH  [rushing  toward  her  threateningly],  — 
Stop !  stop 

MARTA  [rising  and  in  a  taunting  voice] .  I've  fooled 
you  —  and  I'm  glad  I  fooled  you  —  and  I  laugh  in 
your  face  —  as  everybody  does !  [She  laughs  hyster- 
ically.] He's  coming  to-night !  I'm  waiting  for  him 
this  very  minute !  [MANELICH  runs  to  the  table  and 
catches  up  the  knife.] 

MANELICH.  And  this  very  minute  I'm  goin'  to 
kill  you! 

MARTA  [catching  his  left  arm].  Pshaw!  You 
won't  kill  me!  I've  fooled  you!  And  I'll  fool  you 
again!  [Laughs.]  Let's  see  if  you  kill  me!  Let's 
see! 

MANELICH  [drawing  back  in  horror  and  sinking  into 
a  chair].  No,  no!  I  cannot 

MARTA.  Oh,  coward!  That  shows  you  sold  your- 
self for  money !  [MANELICH  rushes  at  her  and  in  the 
struggle  she  is  wounded  in  the  arm.] 

MANELICH.     Curse  you! 

MARTA  [exultingly].     Ah!  at  last! 

MANELICH  [throwing  away  the  knife  in  horror]. 
What  have  I  done?  O  God! 

MARTA  [supporting  herself  against  the  table  and 
laughing  frantically].  Blood!  My  blood!  And  you 
[78] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


did   it  —  you !     What   joy !     What   joy !     Come  — 
strike  here!  here!     [Pointing  to  her  breast.] 

MANELICH  [terrified  and  weeping,  he  sinks  into  a 
chair].  No!  no! 

MARTA.  Oh,  I  cannot  go  on  living  so!  I  have 
been  the  most  wicked  woman  in  the  world!  And  I 
cannot  undo  what  I  have  done !  Oh,  that  life  — 
that  past  life  —  there  is  no  power  that  can  undo  it! 
Come  here  —  come  here!  Before  —  I  couldn't  tell 
you  —  but  now  you're  going  to  kill  me  —  I'll  tell 
you  all— all !  [Little  by  little  she  has  won  MANELICH 's 
heart;  he  is  seated  in  a  low  chair;  she  is  on  her  knees 
and  almost  in  his  arms.] 

MANELICH.     Tell  me!     Tell  me! 

MARTA.  They  have  always  treated  me  like  the 
dirt  under  their  feet!  Oh,  kill  me! 

MANELICH.     I  can't  kill  you,  Marta  —  no,  I  can't! 

Because  I  love  you  —  and  I've  loved  you  —  ever 

since  up  there !     I  was  a  lump  of  snow  —  and  I 

melted  when  I  saw  you !     And  a  few  days  ago  — 

when  I  came  down  from  the  mountains  to  marry  you 

-  I  came  leapin',  like  the  water  that  leaps  down  to 

run  into  the  ocean.     They  say  the  ocean  is  bitter! 

Well,  let  it  be  so!     I  love  you  —  I  don't  know  why! 

Perhaps  because  you've  deceived  me,  or  because  I've 

[79] 


MAKTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


felt  your  warm  blood  on  my  hand!  Because  I've 
breathed  the  breath  from  your  lips,  and  the  fragrance 
of  your  hair!  I  only  want  to  kiss  you,  to  hold  you  in 
my  arms  —  tight  —  tight  —  till  life  is  confounded 
in  death  —  like  a  man  —  and  like  a  beast  —  man 
and  beast  together  —  and  with  you  —  and  against 
you  —  and  against  the  world [He  looks  sud- 
denly at  the  curtain  as  though  remembering  the  light, 
and  bears  her  in  the  opposite  direction.]  Now  let  them 
come  and  take  her  from  me !  Let  them  come !  Let 
them  come! 

MARTA.     O  Heavens! 

MANELICH  [trying  to  kiss  her].     Marta! 

MARTA  [she  escapes  from  him].     No!    No! 

MANELICH  [pursuing  her].     Marta! 

MARTA.  No !  Forgive  me  this  way  —  no !  I 
don't  want  you  to  forgive  me  this  way!  You  don't 
know  all !  But  you  must  know  all  —  and  from 
me! 

MANELICH.  Yes,  all !  But  not  down  here,  Marta ! 
The  sky  is  black  with  all  this  misery!  God  doesn't 
see  you  when  you  speak! 

MARTA.     Well,  up  there,  then  —  and  now! 

MANELICH.  Yes,  let  us  go!  Up  there  everything 
is  forgiven  and  nothing  is  corrupted.  Even  the  dead 
[801 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


are  preserved  in  the  snow.     Listen,  Marta  —  and  the 
souls  — 

MARTA.  Oh,  let  us  go!  Come,  let  us  go!  [They 
start  to  go  out.] 

MOSEN  enters. 

MOSEN.     What's  the  news? 

MARTA  [shrinking  back].     Mosen!    Holy  Virgin! 

MANELICH.  You  come  at  a  good  time !  The  news 
is  this :  Tell  the  master  the  mill  is  there  —  and 
many  thanks  —  and  —  that  is  all.  No,  listen! 
That  I  take  what  is  mine.  Come,  Marta! 

MOSEN  [mystified].  And  what  is  it  you  are 
taking? 

MANELICH.     I  just  told  you  —  Marta! 

MARTA.     Yes,  yes  — 

MOSEN  [to  MARTA].  You  can  tell  all  this  to  the 
master.  He's  here. 

MARTA.     O  God  have  mercy!     Come,  Manelich! 

SEBASTIAN  enters  smiling. 

SEBASTIAN.  Oh,  you  are  here!  [To  MOSEN.] 
She  didn't  even  come  to  meet  me!  [MARTA  shrinks 
away  in  horror.] 

MOSEN.    No. 

[81] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA  [to  MANELICH].     Don't  leave  me! 

SEBASTIAN  [contentedly],  Marta!  It's  all  settled 
—  do  you  hear?  The  wedding!  Her  father  will 
arrive  to-night.  [To  MOSEN.]  You  can  imagine 
what  for  —  to  look  over  the  land.  But  what's  the 
matter  here?  [Indicating  MARTA.] 

MOSEN  [grinning].     Ask  her. 

MANELICH.  I  will  tell  him!  [To  SEBASTIAN.] 
I'm  goin'  back  —  up  there  —  and  Marta's  goin'  with 
me! 

SEBASTIAN  [going  close  to  MART  A],  Marta!  What 
is  he  saying?  Answer  me!  [Catches  lier  roughly  by 
arm.]  Answer  me! 

MARTA  [doggedly] .    Yes !    We're  going  —  up  there ! 

SEBASTIAN.  Marta!  Marta!  Are  you  crazy? 
[Shakes  her  savagely  by  the  arm.] 

MANELICH  [interposing].  Master,  see  what  you're 
doin'  —  it's  Marta ! 

SEBASTIAN.     And  what  is  that  to  you? 

MANELICH.     She  is  mine  —  she  is  my  wife! 

SEBASTIAN  [sneeringly].     Yours?     Marta  yours? 

MARTA.     Yes!    I  am! 

SEBASTIAN.     Marta ! 

MARTA.  I  told  you  it  was  all  over!  [She  starts  to 
go  out  with  MANELICH.] 

[82] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.  Mosen,  call  the  men,  and  turn  this 
fellow  out! 

[MosEN  goes  to  the  door  and  calls.] 

MANELICH.  Why  shall  they  turn  me  out?  [The 
men  and  women  come  in.] 

SEBASTIAN.  Because  I  am  master  here,  as  I  have 
always  been  —  your  master,  and  their  master,  and 
hers!  [Pointing  to  MARTA.] 

MARTA.  Don't  listen  to  him,  Manelich!  Come! 
Let  us  go! 

MANELICH.     Come!     [They  start  to  go  out.] 

SEBASTIAN.  Ah!  you'll  take  her,  will  you?  Take 
that,  you  dog!  [Strikes  him.] 

MANELICH  [furiously].     What!     You  strike  me? 

MARTA.     Manelich!    You  let  him  strike  you? 

MANELICH  [weeping  wildly].  Oh!  I  shall  go  mad! 
Yes,  he  is  the  master!  He  is  the  master! 

MARTA.  Ah!  The  master!  Listen,  Manelich! 
This  man  you  say  is  the  master  —  is  the  man  —  do 
you  understand? 

MANELICH.  Sebastian!  Ah!  [He  rushes  at  SE- 
BASTIAN, but  is  seized  by  the  others  and  dragged 
toward  the  door.] 

MOSEN.     Out  with  him! 

JOSE.     He  would  kill  the  master! 
[83] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MANELICH  [struggling].  Blood!  blood!  I  want 
blood 

SEBASTIAN.    Don't  let  him  go! 

MANELICH.  I  want  your  life  —  your  life  —  I 
want  it! 

SEBASTIAN  [tauntingly].     Marta  is  mine! 

MARTA.     Manelich! 

MANELICH.  You  lie  —  you  lie  —  Marta  is  not 
yours  —  she's  mine  —  and  you'll  be  mine  —  I'll  have 
you  yet  —  I'll  have  you  yet !  [He  is  cast  out  by  the 
men;  MARTA  attempts  to  follow,  but  SEBASTIAN,  with 
sinister  smile,  bars  her  way.] 


ACT  in 


ACT  III. 

SCENE:     The  same. 

TIME:     Sunset  of  the  same  day.     JOSE  and  NANDO 

are  discovered:  they  are  talking  slowly  and  seem  much 

depressed. 

JOSE.     I  don't  feel  right,  Nando!     [He  puts  his 
hand  on  his  heart.] 

NANDO  [nodding  toward  house].     Speak  low,  man! 
Marta'll  hear  you! 

JOSE.     We've  done  a  bad  thing,  Nando,  a  bad 
thing. 

NANDO  [raising  his  voice].     That's  so  —  we  have! 
I  don't  see  how  we  can  ever  hold  our  heads  up  again ! 

JOSE.     Don't   yell   so,    man!     Don't   you   know 
Marta's  restin'? 

NANDO.     We  did  wrong  to  throw  Manelich  out. 

JOSE.     I  know  we  did!     But  what  we've  got  to 
do  now  is  to  keep  quiet.     We  did  what  we  did  — 
well,  because  we  did.      If  we  hadn't  separated  them, 
Manelich  would  have  killed  Sebastian ! 
[87] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NANDO.  Oh!  Separate  them  —  yes;  but  we 
shouldn't  have  thrown  Manelich  out  like  a  dog. 
That  was  takin'  him  away  from  his  wife,  and  in  a 
bad  way,  too.  I  tell  you  I'm  not  on  Sebastian's  side 
any  longer;  and  when  I  see  him,  I'm  goin'  to  talk 
very  plain  to  him. 

JOSE.  You're  right!  So  am  I!  And  if  he  doesn't 
like  it,  why,  he  needn't. 

NANDO.     He's  out  there  now,  isn't  he? 

JOSE.  Yes!  He's  walkin'  up  and  down  with 
Mosen.  [Putting  his  hand  to  his  mouth  and  lowering 
his  voice.]  And  he  looks  worried. 

PELUCA  enters  out  of  breath. 

PELUCA.     Oh!     How  I  did  run! 

NANDO.     What  have  you  been  runnin'  for? 

PELUCA.  And  now  the  master  says  I'm  slower 
than  an  ox;  that  he  could  have  gone  faster  himself. 

JOSE.     Where  did  the  master  send  you? 

PELUCA  [putting  finger  to  lip].  Don't  tell  anybody ! 
He  sent  me  to  tell  the  guards  that  he  had  turned  a 
man  named  Manelich  into  the  street;  for  them  to 
look  out  for  him,  and  keep  an  eye  on  him;  because 
when  we  were  turnin'  him  out  he  swore  he  would  kill 
the  master.  Well,  I've  done  what  the  master  told 
[88] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


me  to!     I  told  the  guards  I  heard  Manelich  swear 
he  would  kill  him. 

JOSE.     You  told  the  guards  that? 

PELUCA.    Yes! 

NANDO.  You're  a  lost  man!  Don't  you  know 
you'll  be  called  as  a  witness? 

JOSE.  Of  course  you'll  be  called!  And  you'll 
have  to  swear  before  an  image !  And  if  you  stumble 
or  choke  even  you'll  be  sent  to  prison! 

PELUCA.  Well,  I  told  them  you  were  both  there, 
and  that  you  heard  him,  too! 

NANDO.     Don't  bring  me  into  it! 

JOSE.     I  was  not  there!     Do  you  understand? 

PELUCA.  Hens!  Worse  than  hens!  Well,  I  was 
not  there,  either! 

PEPA  [coming  from  urithin].  Don't  yell  so!  Mar- 
ta's  restin'! 

NANDO  [lowering  his  voice].     How  is  she? 

PEPA.  I  don't  know!  I  ask  her,  and  she  begins 
to  cry,  and  then  in  a  second  she  is  like  a  tigress;  she 
frightens  me;  but  she  doesn't  speak  a  word. 

JOSE.     And  how  do  you  believe  it  will  all  end? 

PEPA.     How  do  I  know? 

NANDO.  If  I'd  been  you,  I  would  have  asked 
Marta- 

[89] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


PEPA  [angrily].  Haven't  I  told  you  I  did  ask  her, 
and  she  wouldn't  answer  me? 

ANTONIA  [coming  from  within].  Who  is  that 
screamin'  so? 

JOSE.  Antonia,  come  here!  What  do  you  think 
of  all  this? 

ANTONIA.  What  do  I  think?  I  think  it's  all 
settled!  Haven't  they  turned  Manelich  out?  Well, 
Marta  will  go  back  to  Sebastian,  as  she  was  before. 
And  Manelich  will  go  back  to  his  goats,  as  he  was 
before.  And  everything  will  be  as  it  was  before. 

PEPA.  Don't  be  foolish,  Antonia!  Marta  will 
never  go  back  to  Sebastian !  I'm  sure  of  it!  As  for 
Manelich,  when  they  turned  him  out  he  shouted  at 
the  top  of  his  voice  that  he'd  kill  the  master.  Every- 
body knows  that! 

PELUCA.     We  don't  know  anything  about  it! 

NANDO.     We  didn't  hear  anything! 

PEPA.  I'm  goin'  back  to  Marta.  Perhaps  she'll 
say  something. 

JOSE.     Hush!     Here  comes  Sebastian! 

NANDO.     I'll  pretend  I'm  absent-minded. 

ANTONIA.  I'm  goin'.  [Goes  toward  MARTA'S 
room.] 

SEBASTIAN  enters. 
[901 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.     Antonia! 

ANTONIA.     I'm  goin'  to  stay  with  Marta. 

SEBASTIAN  [angrily].  Did  you  hear  me  call  you? 
Come  here !  [ANTONIA  approaches  reluctantly.]  How 
is  she? 

ANTONIA.     She's  lyin'  down  —  and  she's  cryin'. 

SEBASTIAN.  Tell  her  to  come  here  —  and  be 
quick  about  it! 

ANTONIA.  I'm  goin'!  [She  goes  in.  SEBASTIAN 
takes  a  seat  apart  without  noticing  the  others.] 

SEBASTIAN  [aside].  And  the  father  of  the  other 
one  coming  to-night,  eh !  It  will  be  just  my  luck  to 
have  everything  ruined  by  that  clown !  [Raising  his 
voice  as  though  discovering  the  others.]  Oh,  you're 
here,  are  you?  You  see  how  this  Manelich  has  acted, 
do  you,  after  I  saved  him  from  starvation?  That's 
what  one  gets  for  showing  favours  to  a  beast ! 

NANDO.     It  doesn't  do  to  show  favours! 

JOSE  [to  NANDO].  I  thought  you  said  you  were 
goin'  to  talk  plain  to  him! 

NANDO.     Yes,  and  you  said  you  would! 

JOSE.     Well,  I  did  say  so,  and  you'll  see! 

SEBASTIAN  [aside].     She  is  worse  than  he  is!     For 
after  all  —  Manelich  —  [he  makes  a  contemptuous 
gesture]  —  but  Marta  —  curse  her! 
[91] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


JOSE.     Master ! 

SEBASTIAN  [striking  the  table  with  his  fist].     What? 

JOSE  [frightened].     Nothin'!     I    didn't    say    any- 
thing! 

SEBASTIAN.     You  are  all  witnesses  —  [laughing]  - 
he  said  he  would  kill  me.     You  heard  him.     Isn't  it  so? 

PELUCA  [indicating   the   others].     They   say   they 
heard  him! 

NANDO  [also  indicating  the  others].     They  heard 
him  —  yes ! 

JOSE.     I  —  I  —  some  days  I'm  pretty  deaf. 

SEBASTIAN  [ignoring  them].     She  won't  come,  eh? 
She  disobeys  me! 

NANDO  [to  JOSE].     You're  afraid! 

JOSE.     You'll  see!    And  then  it'll  be  your  turn! 
[Approaching  SEBASTIAN.]     Master! 

SEBASTIAN.     Well,  what  is  it? 

JOSE.     Why  —  er  —  Manelich  —  he  seems  to  be 
plucky  —  eh,  master?     Plucky,  isn't  he? 

SEBASTIAN  \furiously].     Plucky?    He's  a  dog  and 
a  beast ! 

JOSE.     That's  it  —  that's  what  I  meant  —  yes! 

NANDO  [stepping  forward].     Now   it's   my   turn! 
[Aloud.]     Well,  I  say  Manelich 

SEBASTIAN.    What? 

[92] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NANDO.  Well,  I  say  just  what  my  brother  said; 
and  what  my  brother  said  I'll  stand  by;  yes,  he's  a 
dog  and  a  beast,  and  nothin'  less. 

SEBASTIAN.     Well,  leave  me!     [Calling.]     Marta! 

JOSE.     WTien  I  once  get  started 

NANDO.  Well,  and  when  I  get  started,  I  don't 
take  a  back  seat  for  anybody! 

SEBASTIAN.  I'll  not  wait  any  longer!  [Calling.] 
Marta! 

PEPA  [appearing  at  door].     Marta  cannot  come. 
SEBASTIAN.     She  must  come! 
PEPA.     The  poor  thing  is  all  upset,  she's  very 
weak  from  cryin',  and  she  doesn't  want  to  come  — 
there ! 

SEBASTIAN.     She  shall  be  made  to  come! 
PEPA.     Master !   [ANTONIA  appears  at  the  door.] 
SEBASTIAN.     Yes,  and  quickly,  too !     In  with  you 
and  bring  Marta  here! 

[ANTONIA  and  PEPA  start  to  go  in,  talking  ex- 
citedly.] 

JOSE  [to  NANDO].     We'd  better  be  going. 
NANDO.    That's  what  I  say. 

[They  go  out. 

PEPA  and  ANTONIA  still  linger  at  door,  protest- 
ing to  SEBASTIAN.] 
[93] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN  [aside].    They're  all  against  me! 
MOSEN  enters. 

MOSEN.     Well,  here  I  am! 

SEBASTIAN.  What  now?  Have  you  been  to  the 
house? 

MOSEN.  Yes,  and  there  is  the  devil  to  pay 
there! 

SEBASTIAN.  What!  Something  else?  I  shall  go 
mad! 

MOSEN.     The  father  has  arrived. 

SEBASTIAN.     Damn  the  old  man! 

MOSEN.     Shall  we  go  to  the  house? 

SEBASTIAN.  I'll  go  —  later.  For  me,  Marta 
comes  before  everything  else  in  the  world. 

MOSEN.  It  doesn't  seem  possible,  Sebastian  — 
what  you  used  to  be,  and  what  you  are! 

SEBASTIAN  [impatiently].  Go!  Leave  me!  leave 
me! 

MOSEN.  Blind  —  worse  than  blind !  The  old 
man  suspects  everything:  that  Marta's  wed  ding  was 
a  farce;  that  you  turned  Manelich  out  because  you 
were  jealous  of  him.  Sebastian!  Sebastian!  He 
says  he  will  break  off  the  wedding.  If  he  comes  here 
you  are  lost. 

[94] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN  [changing  his  tone].  Come,  come!  Let 
us  go! 

MOSEN.     Thank  God!     [Calling.]     Hello  there! 

JOSE  and  NANDO  come  in. 

SEBASTIAN.     You  will  stay  outside  and  keep  an 
eye  on  the  mill.     No  one  is  to  come  in,  no  one  is  to 
go  out.     Do  you  understand? 
[They  nod  assent.] 

MOSEN.     Let  us  go! 

SEBASTIAN.  Yes,  let  us  go.  But  I'll  come  back 
if  I  lose  everything  —  I'll  come  back. 

MOSEN.  Be  careful!  Morrucho  is  still  here,  and 
was  seen  with  Manelich.  He  has  been  prowling 
about  the  mill.  If  you  come  here,  he  will  tell  Mane- 
lich, and  —  well,  you  know  what  he  threatened. 

SEBASTIAN.     What  do  I  care?     I'll  come  back! 

[SEBASTIAN  and  MOSEN  go  out,  as  JOSE, 
NANDO,  PELUCA,  and  the  women  enter.] 

NANDO.  It  seems  as  though  the  master's  going 
out  of  his  senses. 

ANTONIA  comes  from  within. 

ANTONIA.     Leave   her,  Pepa!    Leave   her!     I'm 
not  goin'  to  stay  with  her  any  longer! 
[951 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


PEPA  [coming  from  within].  What  a  look  she  has 
on  her  face!  Why,  how  dark  it  is!  [She  lights  a 
candle  at  the  fireplace.] 

JOSE.     What's  up?     Won't  she  come  out? 

ANTONIA.     No,  she  won't  —  and  she  won't! 

PEPA.  I'll  not  put  up  with  her  nonsense  any 
longer!  She  takes  no  notice  of  us !  Why  should  we 
stay? 

ANTONIA.     That's  so!    Let's  all  go  home! 

JOSE  [mysteriously].  We  mustn't  move  from  here 
till  Sebastian  comes. 

[Num  is  heard  weeping  in  the  distance] 

NANDO.     Hark!    There's  somebody  cryin' 

JOSE.     It's  Nuri! 

NURI  enters,  crying. 

NURI.  I'm  tired  of  stayin'  alone!  I  don't  want 
to  stay  in  the  house  all  alone! 

PEPA.     Come  here,  child. 

JOSE.     I  don't  blame  you,  Nuri. 

NURI.  You  never  think  of  me;  it  was  so  dark  — 
awful  dark  —  and  I  was  scared  —  oh,  it  frightens  me 
yet  —  to  think  how  scared  I  was.  And  when  I  was 
runnin',  I  thought  somebody  was  after  me.  [She 
looks  over  her  shoulder]  Oh,  how  I  did  run  and 
[96] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


how  tired  I  am!  [Ends  by  laughing  through  her 
tears.] 

PEPA.     Hush  and  get  your  breath,  child! 

NURI.  I  can't  hush,  because  I  have  to  tell  you 
what  happened. 

JOSE.     Well,  what  happened? 

NURI.  You'll  see!  [In  mysterious  tone.]  I  was 
gettin'  supper  for  you,  and  I  had  put  the  pot  to  boil 
—  when  all  of  a  sudden  I  heard  a  deep  voice  —  but 
very  deep  —  that  came  from,  I  don't  know  where 
-  "Nuri!  Nuri!!"  Such  a  voice!  It  sounded  as 
though  it  came  out  of  the  ground!  I  prayed  to  the 
Virgin,  and  she  gave  me  strength  to  shut  the  door. 
But  I  still  heard  the  voice  in  the  distance  —  "Nuri! 
Nuri!"  I  thought  if  it  wasn't  a  soul  in  torment,  it 
must  be  Manelich  calling,  "Nuri!  Nuri!"  Ugh! 
It  makes  me  shiver  to  think  of  it! 

NANDO.     And  then  what  happened? 

Num.  Nothing  happened.  Oh,  yes  —  the  pot 
cracked  while  it  was  boilin'!  Would  you  believe  it? 
When  there  was  not  a  sound  except  the  pot  boilin', 
I  was  more  scared  than  ever.  I  just  couldn't  stand 
it!  So  I  began  to  sing  as  loud  as  I  could,  and  opened 
the  door  and  ran  out,  and  I  ran  singin'  all  the  way. 
Oh,  that  awful  voice!  "Nuri!  Nuri!"  And  the 
[97] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


pot  boilin'  all  alone  —  it  was  enough  to  scare  any- 
body! [Runs  laughing,  half -as  homed  and  hides  her 
face  on  ANTONIA'S  breast.} 

ANTONIA.     What  a  child !     She  has  scared  me,  too ! 

NURI  [leaving  ANTONIA].     Where  is  Marta? 

ANTONIA.     She's  lyin'  down. 

NURI.  Poor  thing.  [S/te  looks  at  each  one  in  turn 
questioningly.  They  lower  their  eyes.]  Where  is 
Manelich? 

PEPA,     I  suppose  he's  in  there. 

NURI.     Where? 

NANDO.     Why,  inside  there. 

PEPA.     He's  probably  asleep. 

JOSE.     Yes  —  asleep. 
[All  look  confused.] 

NURI.     Why,  how  funny  you  act! 

ANTONIA.     Well,  how  do  you  want  us  to  act,  child? 

NURI.     Why  don't  you  go  home? 

JOSE.  Why,  you  see,  Nuri,  we're  waitin'  —  we're 
waitin' 

NANDO.  For  Sebastian,  because  he  told  us  to 
stay  here  and  watch  — 

NURI.     Watch  what? 

JOSE.     Children  shouldn't  ask  so  many  questions! 
[They  all  nod  assent  to  this.] 
[98] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NURI  [beginning  to  cry  again].  I  want  to  see  Mane- 
lich !  He  isn't  here!  [She  starts  to  go  within.] 

PEPA  [detaining  her].     Stop  screamin'! 

ANTONIA.     Where  are  you  goin'? 

NURI  [stamping  her  foot].  I  want  to  see  him!  I 
want  to  see  Manelich! 

NANDO.     Will  you  stop  cryin'? 

NURI.  No,  I  won't  stop  cryin'.  I  know  some- 
thing awful  has  happened  to  Manelich! 

PEPA.     Don't  scream  so! 
[They  try  to  quiet  her.] 

NURI.  I'm  afraid  he's  dead  —  I'm  afraid  you've 
killed  him! 

JOSE.  Don't  be  foolish,  child!  We  haven't  killed 
anybody!  We've  done  nothin'  but  turn  him  out  of 
the  house  —  and  now  we  wish  we  hadn't! 

NANDO.     Yes,  and  now  we  wish  we  hadn't ! 

NURI.  Oh,  I'm  so  glad!  Why,  then,  he'll  come 
back! 

JOSE.     What  is  she  sayin'? 

NURI.     I'll  go  and  tell  him  to  come  back! 

NANDO  [taking  her  by  arm].  The  master  doesn't 
want  him  to  come  back. 

NURI  [resisting].     Let  me  go!     Let  me  go! 

MARTA  [calling  from  the  door  of  her  room].     Nuri! 
1991 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NURI  [running  to  her].     Marta!  oh,  Marta! 

MARTA  [appearing  in  door  and  embracing  NURI]. 
Nuri!  [She  comes  forward  leaning  on  NURI.] 

NURI.  Poor  Marta!  Do  you  know  about  Mane- 
lich?  They've  turned  him  out  —  they're  turned 
him  out  as  if  he  was  nobody. 

MARTA.  I  know,  Nuri,  I  know!  Help  me  to 
walk,  dear! 

PEPA.     We'll  help  you. 

MARTA.     No!     Don't  touch  me! 

JOSE.  Why,  we  —  you' know  we  only  obeyed 
orders. 

MARTA  [weeping].  Yes,  I  know  —  you  only  obeyed 
orders  —  hating  me  —  laughing  at  Manelich  —  you 
only  obeyed  orders !  What  harm  has  Manelich  ever 
done  you? 

NURI.  Don't  cry,  Marta!  [Wipes  her  own  eyes 
and  then  MARTA'S.] 

MARTA.  And  now  why  don't  you  want  Nuri 
to  call  him?  What  harm  is  there  if  she  calls 
him?  I  want  to  go  with  him  —  with  my  husband, 
up  there  —  where  there  are  no  people  —  where 
there  is  no  one  to  laugh  at  us.  And  when  we 
reach  the  highest  peak,  if  we  still  hear  you  laughing, 
we'll  go  higher  yet;  and  when  we  come  where  God 
[100] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


is,  no  one  will  laugh  at  us —  for  there  are  love  and 
forgiveness. 

NANDO.     I  believe  she's  right! 

PEPA  [to  the  others],  I  don't  see  why  you  did 
what  you  have  done. 

PELUCA.     Poor  thing! 

Num  [weeping].  You  see,  Marta!  They're  all 
nearly  cryin'!  They  all  love  you!  [To  the  others.] 
Don't  you?  Come  with  me,  Marta,  we'll  find  Mane- 
lich,  and  then  you  can  go  with  him. 

MARTA.     Yes,  yes  —  with  him! 

NANDO.     But,  you  see  —  you  mustn't  do  that. 

JOSE.  If  it  wasn't  for  Sebastian  —  but  there's  the 
trouble. 

MARTA.     You  see,  Nuri?     They  won't  let  me  go! 

NURI  [to  the  men].  You're  as  mean  as  you  can  be, 
all  of  you!  [To  MARTA,  leading  her  aside.]  Come 
away,  Marta ! 

NANDO.     Well,  I'm  goin'!     I  can't  stand  this! 

ANTONIA.     Yes,  let's  all  go! 

JOSE.     The  master  said  we  could  watch  outside. 

PEPA.     Let's  go  outside  then. 

NANDO.  Marta,  if  you  want  to,  you  can  shut  the 
door.  We  won't  trouble  you! 

[All  go  out  looking  crestfallen.] 
[101] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.     Don't  leave  me,  Nuri! 

NURI.  No  —  I'll  stay  with  you,  Marta.  Nobody 
loves  you  like  Nuri.  [She  smiles  sadly  and  speaks  as 
though  addressing  a  child.]  Just  you  and  me  together. 
Do  you  want  me  to  close  the  door? 

MARTA.     Yes,  close  it  —  close  it! 

NURI  [closing  the  door].  There!  Now  what  shall 
we  do?  Shall  we  talk  about  Manelich? 

MARTA.  Oh,  Nuri!  I  shall  die  of  terror!  These 
walls  —  they  seem  falling  on  me  —  and  behind  them 
I  see  —  Sebastian !  I  shut  my  eyes  not  to  see  him 
—  and  he  is  here  —  beside  me  —  forcing  me  to  go 
with  him !  Oh,  no  —  no  —  not  that !  I  must  get 
out  of  here,  Nuri !  I  must  go  to  Manelich !  I  don't 
know  where  he  is,  but  if  I  can  only  get  out  of  here, 
I'll  find  him! 

NURI.     Oh, dear!     I'm  so  mad  with  myself ! 

MARTA.     Why,  Nuri? 

NURI.  Because  I  don't  know  how  I  can  help 
you  to  get  out  of  here  —  right  away  —  but  right 
away! 

MARTA.  Yes,  right  away,  Nuri,  right  away!  If 
Sebastian  comes !  O  God !  don't  let  him  come  — 
don't  let  him  come! 

NURI.     Oh,  if  I  could  only  think  of  a  way! 
f  1021 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.  They're  all  out  there  under  the  shed, 
watching,  so  I  can't  get  away.  Look,  Nuri,  and  see 
if  they  are  there? 

[NuRi  looks  out  and  stamps  with  rage.} 

NURI.  Yes,  yes,  they're  all  there !  They've  left  a 
light  near  the  gate,  so  they  can  see  you  if  you  go  out. 

MARTA.     You  see,  there  is  no  chance  —  none! 

NURI.  Wait!  [She  thinks  a  moment  and  brightens 
quickly] 

MARTA.     What?    What? 

NURI.  Kiss  me,  Marta.  [Kisses  her.]  I  have  a 
plan.  You  shall  get  away! 

MARTA.     Nuri ! 

NURI  [as  though  talking  to  a  child].     There  —  there 
See   how   happy    she    is!     You    poor    dear! 
[Kissing  her  again.] 

MARTA.  But  Nuri  —  how,  dear?  They  will  see 
me! 

NURI.  Hush-sh-sh!  Don't  talk  so  loud  when  I 
tell  you  you're  goin'  to  get  away!  And  it's  Nuri 
who's  helpin'  you!  You'll  tell  Manelich  that  it  was 
Nuri!  Tell  him  I've  thought  about  him,  oh,  so 
much,  and  that  when  he  has  a  chance  he  is  to  send 
me  word  if  he  thinks  about  me!  Oh,  I'm  so  happy! 

MARTA  [incredulously].     But  how,  Nuri?     How? 
[103] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


Num.  Listen!  I'll  go  out,  and  when  I  go  out, 
you  shut  the  door.  I'll  go  over  there  where  they  are, 
and  begin  runnin'  about,  and  play  in'  with  them.  It's 
all  dark  out  there.  You  put  out  the  light.  [Begin- 
ning to  laugh.]  Do  you  understand  now? 

MARTA.     No,  dear,  no!    Tell  me  again,  Nuri! 

NURI.  Why,  how  stupid  you  are,  Marta!  When 
I'm  playin'  with  them,  I'll  kick  the  light  with  my 
foot.  It  will  fall  over  and  go  out,  and  the  shed  will 
be  all  dark.  They  will  go  in  the  mill  to  light  it  again 
and  I'll  follow  them,  laughin'  and  pushin'  them,  and 
then,  you  open  the  door  and  run. 

MARTA.     Oh,  Nuri!    Yes!     Yes!     Right  away! 

NURI.     Well,  now,  I'm  goin';  so  be  ready! 

MARTA  [nervously].  Wait!  How  shall  I  know 
when 

NURI.  That's  so!  How  will  you  know?  What 
a  bother!  [Thinks  intently.]  Oh,  yes  —  I'll  laugh 
once,  very  loud,  and  then  you  open  the  door. 

MARTA.  Yes  —  then  I'll  open  the  door!  Oh, 
hurry,  Nuri,  hurry! 

NURI.     Kiss  me! 

MARTA.  There  —  there !  [Kissing  her  repeatedly.] 
God  will  bless  you,  dear  child! 

NURI.     When  I  laugh  loud! 
f  1041 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MARTA.  Yes,  yes.  [She  opens  the  door;  voices  are 
heard  outside;  NURI  goes  out.  MARTA  starts  to  close 
door;  NURI  puts  her  head  in.] 

NURI.     Don't  forget  to  tell  Manelich! 

MARTA.  No!  No!  [Closes  gate.]  How  good 
she  is !  How  good  she  is !  Now  I  must  wait  —  I 

must  wait [She  snatches  the  handkerchief  from  her 

head.]  It  seems  hours  already !  [Walks  up  and  down 
in  great  agitation.]  Oh,  Manelich!  [Pause.]  The 
light  —  I'd  forgotten  it!  [She  blows  out  the  candle  at 
fireplace.  The  scene  is  lighted  only  by  the  fire.]  Now 
they  won't  see  me  when  I  open  the  door!  Suppose 
I  go  that  way !  [Indicating  door  leading  within.]  No 
-  they  will  be  watching  there,  too  —  besides  —  who 
knows?  Sebastian  may  come  that  way !  Holy  Vir- 
gin !  No  —  no  —  Nuri's  way  is  best !  Oh  God ! 
I'm  choking!  I  can't  breathe!  [She  sits  down,  rises 
hurriedly,  and  goes  to  the  door.]  Listen  —  listen  —  I 
hear  them  —  but  not  Nuri.  Now  —  now  —  she  is 
talking  —  but  she  doesn't  laugh.  Oh,  why  doesn't 
she  laugh?  Laugh,  Nuri,  laugh!  O  God,  help  us! 
[NuRi's  laugh  is  heard;  then  another,  louder.]  Now ! 
now !  [She  opens  the  door,  screams,  and  retreats.]  Ah ! 

SEBASTIAN  enters  muffled  in  a  long  cloak. 
[105] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.     Who's  there? 

MAKTA  [in  a  low,  frightened  voice] .    Ah !    Sebastian ! 

SEBASTIAN.  Who's  there?  Oh!  is  it  you?  Where 
were  you  going? 

MARTA  [aside].     God  help  me! 

SEBASTIAN  [catching  her  by  the  arm].  Do  you 
hear?  Where  were  you  going?  Answer  me!  Where 
were  you  going  at  this  hour  of  the  night? 

MARTA  [trying  to  escape].     Let  me  go! 

SEBASTIAN.  How  you  tremble !  You're  half  dead 
from  fear!  [He  pushes  her  from  him  scornfully.] 

MARTA  [aside].     Oh,  if  I  could  only  die  now! 

SEBASTIAN.  Take  off  that  handkerchief  —  it  be- 
trays you!  Ah,  ha!  So  you  were  running  away ! 

MARTA.     Yes,  I  was  —  and  no  one  shall  stop  me ! 

SEBASTIAN  [gloatingly].  That's  the  way  I  like  you 
—  yes  —  like  that  —  like  that ! 

MARTA.     Let  me  go! 

SEBASTIAN  [laughing  satirically].  Let  you  go! 
Let  you  go ! 

MARTA.     Don't  laugh  at  me,  Sebastian! 

SEBASTIAN.     Don't  laugh  at  you?     What  shall  I 
do,  then?     Tear  you  to  pieces  and  trample  you  under 
foot?    No,  no!     Better  to  laugh  at  you! 
Lea.ve  me,  or  kill  me! 
[106] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.  Let  you  go,  eh?  Or  go  myself?  Or 
kill  you?  [He  goes  to  the  door,  shuts  and  bolts  it.] 

MARTA  [following  him] .     No !  no ! 

SEBASTIAN.     Now  we're  alone  —  shut  in  here  — 
you  and  I !     The  world  ends  here  for  us  —  and  all 
that's  in  the  world  —  the  earth  —  the  sky  —  every- 
thing is  here! 

MARTA  [shrinking  away  in  horror].     O  God! 

SEBASTIAN.  Now  tell  me  —  why  you  have  turned 
against  me  in  this  way?  You  who  ought  to  thank 
me! 

MARTA.  Oh,  infamous!  What  have  I  to  thank 
you  for?  That  you  have  dragged  me  in  the  dirt  — 
made  me  an  outcast  before  God  —  and  now  that 
you  let  me  live,  only  to  make  me  viler  than  I  was 
before?  Oh,  you  coward  —  I  hate  you  —  coward 
—  coward ! 

SEBASTIAN  [in  supplicating  tone].  Marta!  No! 
no!  don't  say  that!  Don't  say  you  hate  me! 

MARTA.     Yes,  I  hate  you! 

SEBASTIAN  [seizing  her  and  placing  his  hand  over 
her  mouth].  Hush !  hush !  You  love  me  —  you  shall 
love  me!  I  have  sacrificed  everything  for  you!  I 
suffered  like  one  of  the  damned  when  I  gave  you  to 
that  man !  Don't  tell  me  you  love  him  —  no  —  not 
[  1071 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


that!     [He  sinks  into  a  chair  by  the  table,  his  head  in 
his  hands.] 

MARTA.  Will  it  pain  you  to  know  I  love  Mane- 
lich?  O  God,  I  thank  Thee  for  giving  me  one  mo- 
ment's happiness !  Yes,  I  love  him  —  with  all  my 
heart  —  with  all  my  blood  —  with  all  my  life  —  I 
love  him! 

SEBASTIAN  [rushing  at  her].    Stop!    Stop 

MARTA.  I'll  say  it  till  you  choke  me!  It's 
the  only  thing  I've  ever  been  able  to  say  without 
shame! 

SEBASTIAN.     Stop,  I  tell  you!     [Threatening  her.] 

MARTA  [as  though  remembering].  I  must  defend 
myself  —  for  him  —  only  for  him !  Marta  is  nothing 
—  but  the  wife  of  Manelich  —  yes ! 

SEBASTIAN.  You  meant  to  ruin  me,  and  you've 
done  it  —  you've  done  it !  Because  I  wouldn't  leave 
you  —  and  I  won't  leave  you  —  with  that  man, 
whose  name  sets  me  on  fire! 

MARTA  [stopping  her  ears  with  her  fingers].  I  won't 
listen! 

SEBASTIAN.  You  were  mine  —  you  are  mine  — 
you  shall  be  mine! 

MARTA.  May  the  earth  open  and  swallow  me 
first! 

[  1081 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


SEBASTIAN.  May  it  open  and  swallow  us  both! 
We'll  go  to  hell  together !  [He  seizes  her  in  his  arms.] 

MARTA.     Let  me  go !     Manelich ! 

SEBASTIAN.    Be  careful! 

MARTA.     Manelich ! 

SEBASTIAN  [forcing  her  within].  You'll  come  with 
me! 

MARTA.     If  you  kill  me  first  —  yes ! 

SEBASTIAN  [laughing  brutally}.     I  won't  kill  you! 

MARTA.     No  —  no [She  struggles  to  escape, 

catches  at  the  table,  then  at  the  wall.] 

SEBASTIAN.  That's  the  way  I  like  you,  when  you're 
furious ! 

MARTA.     Let  me  go !    [She  frees  herself.] 

SEBASTIAN.     Be  careful,  or  I'll  get  angry. 

MARTA.  I  wish  I  could  kill  you!  If  you  come 
near  me,  I'll  scratch  you  —  I'll  spit  on  you!  You're 
very  brave  with  me!  You  wouldn't  be  with  Mane- 
lich! 

SEBASTIAN.  With  you,  and  with  him,  and  with 
both  of  you ! 

MARTA.     No,  don't  touch  me!     Manelich! 

SEBASTIAN.     Ah!     [He  catches  her  by  the  throat.] 
[MANELICH  tears  the  door-curtain  aside  and 
stands  peering  in.] 
\  1091 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


MART  A.     Manelich! 

MANELICH  [advances  and  takes  her  in  his  arms]. 
Marta! 

SEBASTIAN  [wildly].     How  did  you  get  in  here? 

MANELICH.     I  came  the  way  you  used  to  come  — 
by  your  door  —  of  master  and  thief!     I  waited  for 
you  —  I  followed  you  —  I  climbed  the  wall  —  with 
my  nails  —  and  with  my  teeth  —  and  I'm  here  — 
and  we're  alone  — 

SEBASTIAN.     Begone  with  you  or  I'll  — 

MANELICH  [to  MARTA,  and  laughing  ferociously]. 
Begone!  He  thinks  he  is  still  master!  Marta  —  he 
thinks  so  —  that  I  must  bear  it  all !  [  Turning  to 
SEBASTIAN.]  No,  no.  I  am  master  now! 

SEBASTIAN  [starting  to  go  out].  You  master? 
We'll  see! 

MARTA  [in  warning  voice].     Manelich! 

MANELICH  [interposing].  No  —  coward!  I  tell 
you  we're  alone  —  you  and  I !  I  come  for  her  —  she 
is  mine !  And  I  come  for  you  —  for  I'm  goin'  to  kill 
you! 

SEBASTIAN.     Me?     You  kill  me? 

MANELICH.     You!    You! 

SEBASTIAN.     I,  too,  can  kill  men! 

MANELICH.     And    I    wolves!     There    you    have 
[110] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


Marta!     Do  you  want  her?     There  she  is  —  we'll 
fight  for  her!     [MANELICH  draws  his  knife.] 

SEBASTIAN.     I  have  no  knife! 

MANELICH  [throwing  the  knife  away] .   I  don't  need  it ! 

MARTA.     What  have  yon  done? 

MANELICH.  Now  we're  equal!  What  are  you 
waitin'  for? 

SEBASTIAN.  You'll  see!  [He  runs  to  seize  the 
knife;  MANELICH  intercepts  and  clinches  with  him; 
SEBASTIAN  is  erect  when  they  come  together.] 

MARTA.     Ah! 

MANELICH.  You  wanted  the  knife  —  coward! 
[He  seizes  SEBASTIAN  by  the  throat.] 

SEBASTIAN.     Curse  you! 

MANELICH  [choking  him].     Die!    Die! 

MARTA.     My  God!      My  God! 

MANELICH.     Wretch!     Coward!     Wolf! 

MARTA  [falling  on  her  knees].     Holy  Virgin! 

MANELICH.  Die!  Die!  Die!  [Holding  him  by 
the  throat  at  arms'  length.]  Die  with  your  face  to  her! 
[He  casts  him  at  MARTA'S/^.] 

MARTA,     Merciful  Christ!     [She  rises  in  horror.] 

MANELICH.     There  you  have  him!     [He  runs  to 
door  and  opens  it.]     Come  in  —  all  of  you! 
[The  men  and  women  crowd  in.] 
[Ill] 


MARTA  OF  THE  LOWLANDS 


NANDO.    What  has  happened? 

MANELICH.     Your  master  called  you! 

JOSE  [bending  over  SEBASTIAN].     Dead! 

PEPA.    Dead ! 

MANELICH.  Laugh  —  laugh  all  of  you!  We're 
leavin'  the  lowlands! 

MARTA  [running  to  him].  Yes,  yes  —  take  me  — 
quickly ! 

MANELICH.  Make  way  there!  I  killed  the  wolf! 
[He  points  to  SEBASTIAN.]  I  killed  the  wolf !  [MANE- 
LICH encircles  MARTA  with  his  right  arm,  and  looks 
into  her  face;  she  returns  his  look,  trembling,  terrified; 
with  a  powerful  sweep  of  the  left  arm,  he  points  to  the 
mountains;  MARTA  nods  assent;  they  go  out  quickly,  the 
people  falling  back  to  make  way  for  them.] 


CURTAIN. 


THE  COVNTRY  UfE  PRESS,  GARDEN   CITY,  NEW   YORK 


ICSB   LIBRARY 


DC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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